Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2014 Feb 3;9(2):e87264.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087264. eCollection 2014.

Prognostic value of Ki-67 in breast cancer patients with positive axillary lymph nodes: a retrospective cohort study

Affiliations

Prognostic value of Ki-67 in breast cancer patients with positive axillary lymph nodes: a retrospective cohort study

Feng-yan Li et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Introduction: Ki-67 expression is a biomarker for proliferation. Its prognostic value is recognized in breast cancer (BC) patients with negative axillary nodes, but is less clear in BC patients with positive axillary lymph nodes.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 1131 Chinese BC patients treated from January 2002 to June 2007 and 450 patients met the inclusion criteria: positive nodes, adjuvant therapy, and complete biomarker profile (estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), HER2, p53, Ki-67). Univariate and multivariate regression analysis were used to correlate biomarkers and tumor characteristics with metastasis free survival (MFS) and overall survival (OS).

Results: Median follow-up time was 46 months (range 5-76 months). The Ki-67 expression was associated significantly with histological grade, ER, PR, HER2, and P53 status (P<0.05). Tumor stage, nodal stage, and ER status were independent prognostic factors for MFS. Ki-67 status was associated significantly with OS but not MFS. To determine whether the extent of LN involvement in the BC patients influenced the role of Ki-67 in survival rates, we compared these variables in patients with 1-3 positive lymph nodes (N1) to those of patients with ≥ 4 positive lymph nodes. Ki-67 status was an independent prognostic factor for MFS (Hazard Ratio, 3.27, P = 0.026) and overall survival (HR, 10.64, P = 0.007) in patients with 1-3 positive nodes (N1).

Conclusions: The possibility that Ki-67 expression together with clinical factors can improve prediction of the prognosis of BC patients with 1 ∼ 3 positive axillary lymph nodes warrants further studies.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

References

    1. Early Breast Cancer Trialists' Collaborative Group (EBCTCG) (2005) Effects of chemotherapy and hormonal therapy for early breast cancer on recurrence and 15-year survival: an overview of the randomised trials. Lancet 365: 1687–1717. - PubMed
    1. Sayer HG, Kath R, Kliche KO, Hoffken K (2002) Premenopausal breast cancer: chemotherapy and endocrine therapy. Drugs 62: 2025–2038. - PubMed
    1. de Bono JS, Tolcher AW, Rowinsky EK (2003) The future of cytotoxic therapy: selective cytotoxicity based on biology is the key. Breast cancer research 5: 154–159. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Luporsi E, Andre F, Spyratos F, Martin PM, Jacquemier J, et al. (2012) Ki-67: level of evidence and methodological considerations for its role in the clinical management of breast cancer: analytical and critical review. Breast cancer research and treatment 132: 895–915. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Scholzen T, Gerdes J (2000) The Ki-67 protein: from the known and the unknown. Journal of cellular physiology 182: 311–322. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms