Ki-67 expression is a prognostic marker of prostate cancer recurrence after radical prostatectomy.
OBJECTIVE
We assessed the cellular proliferation of clinically localized prostate cancer by immunohistochemistry using the monoclonal antibody MIB to Ki-67 antigen in an attempt to identify associations between proliferative indexes and disease progression following radical prostatectomy.


METHODS
Ki-67 proliferative antigen was evaluated using MIB 1 monoclonal antibody in archival paraffin embedded radical prostatectomy specimens from 180 patients followed for 1 to 9 years (mean 4.4). The percentage of tumor nuclei expressing Ki-67 antigen was measured and assigned and MIB 1 score (none or rare--negative, 1+--low score and 2 to 4+--high score) and analyzed for prostate specific antigen, stage, age, race, grade and serological recurrence postoperatively.


RESULTS
There was a significant association between MIB 1 score and nuclear grade (p < 0.001), Gleason score (p < 0.001) and pathological stage (p = 0.01). Patients with a high MIB 1 score had earlier progression and a lower 5-year recurrence-free survival rate (44%) than those with negative MIB 1 scores (71%, p < 0.001). In multivariate Cox regression analysis with backward elimination, pathological stage (p < 0.01), pretreatment prostate specific antigen (p = 0.04) and MIB 1 score (p = 0.05) were statistically significant predictors of disease-free survival, and patients with a high MIB 1 score were 3.1 times as likely to have recurrence as those with a negative score. Controlling for stage, patients with organ confined disease and a high MIB 1 score had a lower 5-year disease-free survival rate (68%) than those with a low MIB 1 score (95%, p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Proliferative activity as measured by the Ki-67 proliferative antigen, MIB 1, appears to be a prognostic marker of recurrent prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy.
Bettencourt
M C
MC
Urology Service, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D. C., USA.
Bauer
J J
JJ
Sesterhenn
I A
IA
Mostofi
F K
FK
McLeod
D G
DG
Moul
J W
JW
D000368:Aged; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011379:Prognosis; D011468:Prostatectomy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins