KI-67 immunopositivity in choroidal and ciliary body melanoma with respect to nucleolar diameter and other prognostic factors.
OBJECTIVE
To study the association of cell proliferation in uveal melanoma with the mean of the 10 largest nucleoli (MLN), microvascular prognostic factors, and survival.


METHODS
Population-based, retrospective cohort study of 167 choroidal and ciliary body melanomas enucleated from 1972 to 1981. Mouse monoclonal antibody Ki-67 (clone 7B11) was used to identify proliferating cells. MLN was measured from silver stained slides. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis were performed.


RESULTS
The median number of Ki-67 immunopositive cells was 8 per tumor cross-section (range, 0-272) corresponding to a median of 0.30 cells/mm2. The percentage of immunopositive cells was 0.02% of all cells (range, 0-3.2). Tumors with epithelioid cells tended to have a higher percentage of immunopositive cells (p = 0.089). Ki-67 immunoreactivity, MLN, and presence of extravascular loops and networks were independent predictors of melanoma-related mortality, whereas Ki-67 immunoreactivity was not an independent predictor of mortality when presence of epithelioid cells was in the model.


CONCLUSIONS
Taken together with previous data, the results of this population-based study support the theory that high cell proliferation index is associated with presence of epithelioid cells and that presence of a high cell proliferation index is associated with a higher risk of metastatic death independent of MLN, microvascular density, and presence extravascular loops and networks.
Al-Jamal
Rana'a T
RT
Ophthalmic Pathology Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. ranaa.aljamal@hus.fi
Kivelä
Tero
T
D002466:Cell Nucleolus / Q000473:pathology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002830:Choroid Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002924:Ciliary Body / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D014604:Uveal Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology
D019394:Ki-67 Antigen