Correlation of nuclear morphometry of breast cancer in histological sections with clinicopathological features and prognosis

Abstract

Background: The relation of nuclear morphometry measurements with clinicopathological features was evaluated along with prognosis in invasive female breast carcinoma in Libyan patients. Data was compared with corresponding results on Finnish, and Nigerian female breast cancer patients.

Patients and methods: Histological samples from 131 patients of breast carcinoma were retrospectively studied by computerized nuclear morphometry. In each case, 50 nuclei were measured and the mean nuclear morphometric features were calculated and compared with different clinicopathological features, and patient's survival.

Results: There was statistically significant correlation between the mean nuclear area (MNA) and most clinicopathological features, with the strongest association observed for nuclear grade (p<0.0001). There was also correlation between nuclear area and tumor stage (p<0.04), tumor size (p<0.03) and lymph node (LN) status (p<0.001). A corresponding relationship was found between other size related features and clinical factors. The univariate analysis and survival analysis indicated that short survival time was associated with high nuclear morphometric values. MNA had negative correlation with length of survival (Pearson's test r=-0.29, p=0.019). Morphometric shape features did not show significant association with clinical features or survival.

Conclusion: The results indicated that nuclear size features are reliable prognostic indicators in Libyan female breast carcinomas, as they were among Finnish and Nigerian females. The nuclear morphometric parameters can identify the aggressive tumor phenotype and provide significant prognostic information in predicting survival and tumors at risk of progression. The cut-off (71.0 mum(2)) of MNA might be applied as quantitative criterium for Libyan nuclear grading to separate patients into good and poor prognosis groups.