Prognostic value of proliferating cell nuclear antigen in lymph node-negative breast cancer patients.

作者信息

Bianchi S, Paglierani M, Zampi G, Cardona G, Cataliotti L, Bonardi R, Zappa M, Ciatto S

机构信息

Institute of Anatomia e Isologia Patologica, University of Florence, Italy.

出版信息

Cancer. 1993 Jul 1;72(1):120-5. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(19930701)72:1<120::aid-cncr2820720123>3.0.co;2-8.

BACKGROUND

The prognostic value of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) has been demonstrated in recent studies of human tumors including breast cancer.

METHODS

PCNA immunoreactivity was assessed retrospectively in a consecutive series of 173 lymph node-negative primary breast cancer cases. The PCNA grade was determined according to estimated quartiles of nuclear immunostaining, and its association to disease-free and overall survival was studied.

RESULTS

PCNA grade was associated significantly with nuclear grade. On univariate analysis, PCNA grade was associated significantly with both 5-year relapse-free survival rate (Grades 1-2 = 78%; Grades 3-4 = 52%; P = 0.0117) and overall survival. On multivariate analysis, T category and PCNA were associated independently and significantly with both relapse-free and overall survival. Nevertheless, the magnitude of the association of PCNA grade to prognosis was low (relative risk of recurrence in patients with PCNA Grades 3-4 versus Grades 1-2 = 2.13), and only 24% of all relapses or 28.8% of all cancer deaths observed at 5 years occurred in patients with PCNA Grades 3-4.

CONCLUSIONS

The predictive value of the relationship of PCNA grade to prognosis was too low to be of value as an independent prognostic indicator.