Carcinoma of the cervix uteri: an assessment of tumour proliferation using the monoclonal antibody ki67

Thirty-one cervical biopsies of invasive carcinoma have been studied by immunohistochemical means using the monoclonal antibody Ki67 to determine tumour cell proliferation rates. A wide range (10-50%) in the extent of Ki67 staining (expressed as the percentage of labelled tumour cells) was observed indicating considerable variation on tumour growth rates. There was no significant relationship between the percentage of positive cells and conventional histological parameters such as cell type or tumour differentiation. Immunostaining with monoclonal antibody Ki67 therefore provides a new approach to the assessment of cervical tumour biopsies which will require long term clinical follow-up to establish its prognostic significance.