Evaluation of Ki67 expression across distinct categories of breast cancer specimens: a population-based study of matched surgical specimens, core needle biopsies and tissue microarrays.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Tumor cell proliferation in breast cancer is strongly prognostic and may also predict response to chemotherapy. However, there is no consensus on counting areas or cut-off values for patient stratification. Our aim was to assess the matched level of proliferation by Ki67 when using different tissue categories (whole sections, WS; core needle biopsies, CNB; tissue microarrays, TMA), and the corresponding prognostic value.

Methods

We examined a retrospective, population-based series of breast cancer (n = 534) from the Norwegian Breast Cancer Screening Program. The percentage of Ki67 positive nuclei was evaluated by visual counting on WS (n = 534), CNB (n = 154) and TMA (n = 459).

Results

The median percentage of Ki67 expression was 18% on WS (hot-spot areas

SUBMITTER: Knutsvik G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4223011 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature