ASSOCIATION BETWEEN IN-VIVO IODODEOXYURIDINE LABELING, MIB-1 EXPRESSION, MALIGNANCY GRADE AND CLINICAL STAGE IN HUMAN PROSTATE-CANCER

Large variability in the biological behavior of prostate cancer makes prognostic markers important. The extent of tumor cell proliferation h as been suggested as an important predictor of clinical outcome. Fifty -five patients suspected of having or with previously diagnosed prosta te cancer were labeled in vivo with IdUrd (a thymidine analogue incorp orated into DNA in S-phase cells) by intravenous infusion before trans urethral resection. IdUrd-labeled cells and MIB-1-positive cells were detected by immunohistochemistry. We found statistically significant a ssociations between the tumor cell proliferation rates measured by in vivo IdUrd labeling and MIB-1 expression in formalin-fixed paraffin-em bedded tumors. Good correlations were also found between S-phase fract ion, MIB-1 expression, clinical stage and malignancy grade. These resu lts make larger retrospective studies on archival tissue meaningful.