Objective: To assess the immunohistochemical expression of Ki-
67 and Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) as proliferative
markers to study proliferative activity and CD34 as an endothelial
cell marker to study vascular proliferation in astrocytomas in
correlation with some clinicopathological parameters (age, gender,
site of the tumor, and tumor grade).
Methods: A retrospective study wherein a total of 51 formalinfixed
paraffin-embedded brain astrocytoma excisional biopsies
covering the period of June 2009 to February 2011 were retrieved
from the archival materials of the Specialized Surgical Hospital in
Medical City in Baghdad, Iraq. The histopathological diagnosis had
been revised and all cases were stained by immunohistochemical
technique with Ki-67, PCNA, and CD34 tumor markers. Values
were considered statistically significant when p<0.05.
Results: Fibrillary astrocytoma (WHO grade II) was found to be
the most common type among astrocytic tumors with the peak age
incidence of astrocytomas found in the second and fifth decades of
life, and with a slight male predominance had been identified. There
was a significant correlation between the age of the patients and
the grade of the tumor, and Ki-67 and PCNA labeling indices, and
microvessel density (MVD) detected by CD34 (p<0.05). There was
a highly significant correlation between Ki-67 and PCNA labeling
indices in astrocytomas (p<0.001).
Conclusion: A significant correlation has been found between
Ki-67, PCNA labeling indices, and MVD (microvessel density)
detected by CD34, and clinicopathological variables of astrocytomas
(age and grade of tumor). Hence, Ki-67 and PCNA, as markers for
proliferation, and MVD as a marker of angiogenesis, could be used
as ancillary methods in the differentiation of borderline grades of
astrocytomas.
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2013
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