Ki - 67 Expression in Cutaneous Lymphoid Infiltrates

Yang, Seong Gyu; Cho, Kwang Hyun; Kim, Chul Woo

Abstract

BACKGROUND: A number of reports have stressed the usefulness of cell kinetic estimations as an aid in the prognostic and diagnostic classification of malignant lymphoma. But very limited information is available concerning cell cycle distirbutions in cutaneous lymphoid infiltrate, although a number of these conditions present tremendous problems in diagnosis and management.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the proliferative activities in various cutaneous lymphoid infiltrates and its usefulness in diagnosis or foretelling a prognosis.
METHODS
Fifty two arehival biopsy specimens were studies. These included cases of peripheral T-cell lymphoma, lichen planus, lupus erythematosus, polymorphous light eruptions, and pseudolymphomas such as insect bite, lymphomatoid papulosis, and other lymphocytoma cutis. Ki-67 was identified by immunoperoxidase technique using MIB1, a monoclonal antibody that recognizes a fixation and embedding resistant epitope on the Ki-67 protein.
RESULTS
Higher Ki-67 positive rates were observed in high grade angiocentric T-cell lymphomas, which was helpful in differentiating from benign disease. In two cases of lymphomas which Ki-67 positive rate were more than 80 percent despite of minimal lymphoid infiltrate in skin biopsy specimen, evaluation of Ki-67 expression was profoundly helpful in diagnosing them as malignancies.
CONCLUSION
Use of this technique was useful in evaluation of proliferative activity of cutaneous lymphoid infiltrate. In some cases, use of this technique may aid us in differential diagnosis of malignant lymphoma from benign chronic inflammatory disease of the skin.