PROLIFERATION PROFILE OF BENIGN AND PREMALIGNANT CERVICAL EPITHELIUM AS ESTABLISHED BY PCNA STAINING PATTERN

Since immunohistochemical detection of proliferating cell nuclear anti gen (PCNA) is closely related to the cell cycle, this method can be us ed to visualize proliferative activity in paraffin sections of benign and premalignant cervical lesions. This was done in two types of benig n lesions, immature and mature metaplasia, and the three types of CIN (I, II, and III). PCNA staining was assessed as heavy, faint, or negat ive nuclei in the deep, middle, and superficial layers of the epitheli um. In the analysis of variance, significant differences between the t hree layers and between the five groups were found. The PCNA values ca n be helpful to distinguish immature metaplasia from CIN I. The values for PCNA-positive (heavy + faint) for an individual lesion at the thr ee layers constitute its proliferation profile. The PCNA profiles of t he CIN lesions differ fundamentally from the metaplasia profiles. It i s conceivable that for an individual CIN lesion, PCNA staining might b e prognostically more valuable than its CIN grade.