Korean J Pathol.  1997 Jan;31(1):1-14.

The prognostic significance of tumor angiogenesis, proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA), and the Ki-67 index in carcinoma of the uterine cervix

• Park CP
• Lee SY
• Park MH

Abstract

Angiogenesis, the induction of new capillaries and venules, is associated with tumor growth. This study was designed to determine whether cervical carcinomas are angiogenic, and to investigate whether tumor angiogenesis can serve as a prognostic factor in cervical carcinoma. Surgical specimens of 47 cervical carcinomas were immunohistochemically stained specifically for endothelial cells with factor VIII-related antigen to identify all vessels. Microvessels were counted from photographs of 200x microscopic fields. In addition, thirty-seven cases were studied by immunohistochemical means using the monoclonal antibodies for PCNA and for Ki-67 to determine tumor cell proliferation rates in cervical carcinomas. The microvessel count(MVC), the PCNA labelling index, and the Ki-67 index were calculated and compared with known prognostic factors and disease free survival rates in cervical carcinomas. A wide range in the MVC count(range 12-100 mean=38.2+/-19.2), the PCNA labeling index(8-69% mean=33.6+/-15.2%), and in the extent of Ki-67 staining(0-43% mean=10.3+/-10.5%) was observed, indicating considerable variation of tumor angiogenic activity and tumor growth rates. This study showed statistically significant correlations in disease free survival rates with both lymph node status and the microvessel count. However, there was no significant difference in disease free survival rates between tumor stage, age, the PCNA labelling index, and the Ki-67 index.

Keyword

Cervical carcinoma; Angiogenesis; PCNA labelling index; Ki-67 index

MeSH Terms

Antibodies, Monoclonal
Capillaries
Cell Proliferation
Cervix Uteri*
Disease-Free Survival
Endothelial Cells
Female
Lymph Nodes
Microvessels
Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen
Venules
von Willebrand Factor
Antibodies, Monoclonal
Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen
von Willebrand Factor