The prognostic significance of proliferating cell nuclear antigen in patients with lymph node-positive breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the prognostic significance of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in patients with lymph node-positive primary breast cancer.


METHODS
A retrospective study.


METHODS
A tertiary care hospital.


METHODS
A consecutive series of 123 patients with lymph node-positive primary breast cancer.


METHODS
The PCNA-labeling index [(PCNA-positive cells/1000 cells) x 100] was quantified in paraffin-embedded tissue specimens from 123 patients with lymph node-positive primary breast cancer by immunohistochemical staining. Other important clinicopathological variables, including estrogen receptor status, histological grade, lymph node status, primary tumor status, ploidy pattern, S-phase fraction, and TNM staging, were also identified and evaluated.


METHODS
The influence of the PCNA-labeling index on the disease-free survival rate and overall survival rate.


RESULTS
The PCNA-labeling index of the tissue specimens tested from 123 patients ranged from 11% to 82%. The PCNA-labeling index was closely related to primary tumor status, histological grade, TNM staging, and S-phase fraction. Between patients with a high PCNA-labeling index (> 35%) and those with a low PCNA-labeling index (< or = 35%), there were significant (P < .01) differences in both 5-year disease-free survival rates (2% vs 85%) and 5-year overall survival rates (2% vs 92%). When the PCNA-labeling index and all the clinicopathologic variables were entered into a multivariate analysis for either disease-free survival or overall survival by the Cox proportional hazards model, the PCNA-labeling index emerged as an independent prognostic factor.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on our results, the PCNA-labeling index potentially is a useful prognostic factor for lymph node-positive primary breast cancer.
Sheen-Chen
S M
SM
Department of Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Eng
H L
HL
Chou
F F
FF
Chen
W J
WJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen