Tumor proliferative fraction in solid malignant neoplasms: A comparative study of Ki-67 immunostaining and flow cytometric determinations

A. A. Sahin, Jae Ro, A. K. El-Naggar, P. L. Wilson, K. Teague, M. Blick, Alberto Ayala

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

42 Scopus citations

Abstract

Tumor proliferative fraction (TPF) has been shown to correlate with prognosis in some malignancies. A method for its determination that is practical, accurate, and reproducible is still being sought. In this comparative study of techniques, TPF values were determined in mirror-image samples of 126 consecutive solid malignant neoplasms using flow cytometry and immunostaining with Ki-67, a monoclonal antibody that recognizes an unknown nuclear antigen expressed during the entire cell proliferation cycle but not in resting cells. The mean TPF values for all cases were 19.5 ± 15.6% (percentage of tumor cells stained) by Ki-67 (range, 1-86%) and 15.7 ± 9.6% (S + G2M) by flow cytometry (range, 3-60%), which correlated significantly at r = 0.53 and P = 0.005. The correlation was less strong in tumors with low S-phase values (≤10%, r = 0.28) than in tumors with intermediate and high S- phase values (r = 0.66). Ki-67 staining percentages did not correlate with patient age, sex, or tissue origin of the tumor. Ki-67 staining appears comparable to flow cytometry determination of TPF in solid malignancies with intermediate and high S-phase values. In tumors with low S-phase values, Ki- 67 immunostaining shows higher TPF values, which perhaps reflect an increase in the proportion of G1-phase cells or dilutional effect of nonneoplastic cells in the tumors with low proliferative fraction.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)512-519
Number of pages8
JournalAmerican Journal of Clinical Pathology
Volume96
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 1991

Keywords

  • Flow cytometry
  • Ki-67 antibody
  • Mitotic rate
  • Proliferative fraction

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pathology and Forensic Medicine

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