Proliferative activity in invasive breast carcinoma - A comprehensive comparison of MIB-1 immunocytochemical staining in aspiration biopsies to imageanalytic, flow cytometric and histologic parameters

OBJECTIVE: To use MIB-1 antibody to assess proliferative activity in fine n eedle aspiration (FNA) samples of invasive breast carcinoma and compare the se results to multiple other measures of proliferative activity, STUDY DESIGN: FNA slides from 62 patients with invasive breast carcinoma we re subjected to staining with MIB-1. Quantitative MIB-1 values were compare d to image analytic proliferative fractions (IPF) obtained from the same FN As. MIB-1 values were also compared to flow cytometric S-phase fractions (S PF) and S + G2/M-phase fractions (FPF) and to histologic assessment of mito tic count (MC) in resected tumors. RESULTS: MIB-1 values, IPF, SPF, FPF and MC were suitable for evaluation in 55, 53, 50, 50 and 56 cases, respectively. MIB-1 values showed good correl ation with IPF in FNAs (correlation coefficient =.57, P <. 00001). MIB-1 va lues also showed correlation with SPF (correlation coefficient =.447, P =.0 03), FPF (correlation coefficient =.325, P=.023) and MC (correlation coeffi cient =.402, P =.01) in resected tumors. CONCLUSION. This study supports the use of MIB-1 values obtained from FNA s amples for assessment of proliferative activity in invasive breast carcinom a, based on correlation of these values with multiple other parameters of p roliferative activity. Assessment of these values can play a role in predic ting prognosis and in selecting patients with invasive carcinoma of the bre ast for preoperative or adjuvant chemotherapy.