MIB-1 proliferative activity in invasive breast cancer measured by image analysis.
OBJECTIVE
To determine cell proliferation in infiltrating breast carcinomas.


METHODS
Using the MIB-1 monoclonal antibody, the proliferation index was measured in paraffin wax sections of 871 breast cancers. The MIB-1 proliferation index was compared with other markers of disease progression: size, lymph node status, histotype, oestrogen and progesterone receptor status, expression of p53 and Neu, and DNA ploidy. All parameters were measured using image analysis. In 347 tumours, the MIB-1 and Ki-67 proliferation indexes were compared. Follow up data were available for 170 cases (median 66.5 months).


RESULTS
Of the tumours, 314 (36%) had a high proliferation index. The MIB-1 proliferation index was correlated directly with size, nodal status, overexpression of p53 and Neu, and the DNA index; and inversely with oestrogen and progesterone receptor status. The correlation between MIB-1 and Ki-67 proliferation indexes was statistically significant. In patients with pT1 tumours, a low proliferation index correlated with a longer relapse-free interval and overall survival; node negative patients with a low proliferation index had a longer overall survival.


CONCLUSIONS
The MIB-1 proliferation index is a reliable, practical and useful method of measuring proliferative activity and is an important predictor of clinical behaviour.
Querzoli
P
P
Istituto de Anatomia, Università di Ferrara, Italy.
Albonico
G
G
Ferretti
S
S
Rinaldi
R
R
Magri
E
E
Indelli
M
M
Nenci
I
I
D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000378:metabolism; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000378:metabolism; D018276:Carcinoma, Medullary / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011003:Ploidies; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism
D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53