ASSESSMENT OF CELL-PROLIFERATION IN HYDATIDIFORM MOLE USING MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY MIB1 TO KI-67 ANTIGEN

Aims-To assess the role of Ki67 immunoreactivity in predicting the cli nical progress of hydatidiform mole. Methods-Tissue from 87 hydatidifo rm moles, 11 normal first trimester placentas, 11 normal term placenta s and 17 spontaneous abortions were examined for expression of Ki67 an tigen, using the monoclonal antibody MIBI. Results-Ki67 immunoreactivi ty was significantly higher in the tissue from normal first trimester placentas than in that from normal term placentas and spontaneous abor tions. Among the 87 patients with hydatidiform moles studied, 20 devel oped persistent gestational trophoblastic disease and required subsequ ent treatment. There was no statistically significant difference in th e Ki67 index between the 20 patients who developed persistent disease and those who did not. Conclusion-Hydatidiform moles which give rise t o persistent trophoblastic disease do not have a higher proliferative rate than those which do not. The Ki67 index is not useful for predict ing the prognosis of molar pregnancies.