The expression of MCM-2 in invasive breast carcinoma: a stereologic approach.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to examine the expression of MCM-2 and conventional proliferation marker Ki-67 in breast carcinoma by stereologic technique and to compare it with various clinicopathologic parameters.


METHODS
The expression of MCM-2 and Ki-67 on paraffin-embedded tumor tissue sections of patients with invasive breast carcinoma was analyzed immunohistochemically. Stereologic method was used for evaluation of the percentage of positively stained tumor cells.


RESULTS
Significant positive correlation was found between the expression of MCM-2 and that of Ki-67 (r = 0.74, p < 0.001). MCM-2 and Ki-67 expression was significantly associated with histologic grade (p < 0.05), and negative correlation was observed between MCM-2 or Ki-67 expression and estrogen status (p < 0.05). No significant association was observed between MCM-2 or Ki-67 expression and patient age, tumor size, lymph node status, clinical stage and menopausal status.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that MCM-2 expression is significantly associated with histologic grade of breast carcinoma and with cell proliferation capacity (Ki-67 labelling index). Additional studies are required using the stereologic method to compare and understand the utility of Ki-67 and MCM-2 expression in invasive breast carcinoma (Tab. 1, Fig. 4, Ref. 34). Full Text (Free, PDF) www.bmj.sk.
Cobanoglu
Umit
U
Karadeniz Technical University, School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Trabzon, Turkey. drumitcoban@yahoo.com
Mungan
Sevdegul
S
Gundogdu
Cemal
C
Ersoz
Safak
S
Ozoran
Yavuz
Y
Aydin
Fazil
F
D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D064111:Minichromosome Maintenance Complex Component 2; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C084859:MCM2 protein, human; D064111:Minichromosome Maintenance Complex Component 2