Faculty of Medicine
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://repository.ukim.mk/handle/20.500.12188/14
Browse
59 results
Search Results
- Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Евалуација на прогностичките фактори во раните стадиуми на инвазивните карциноми на грлото на матката(1999-12-27)ВОВЕД Познавањето на проширеноста на неоплазмата во моментот на дијагнозата е основа за точно одредување на прогнозата и планирање на терапијата кај пациентите со инвазивен цервикален карцином. При хистопатолошката анализа на оперативниот материјал има можност не само точно да се одреди проширеноста на болеста, туку и да се откријат некои хистолошки карактеристики на неоплазмата, кои значајно влијаат на појавата на релапси и преживувањето на пациентите со цервикален карцином во рани стадиуми на болеста. ЦЕЛИ НА СТУДИЈАТА Основна цел на оваа проспективно-ретроспективна студија е да се одреди прогностичкото значење на повеќе клинички (возраст, клинички FIGO стадиум) и хистопатолошки параметри (лимфонодален статус и негови параметри: број на зафатени лимфни јазли и зафатени групи, дистрибуција и локализација на зафатените јазли/групи; потоа туморски статус, процентуална, минимална и максимална туморска површина, туморски дијаметар, длабочина на стромална инвазија, ендоцервикално зафаќање, пропорционално ендоцервикално зафаќање, најмала дебелина на незафатена цервикална строма /параметријално зафаќање, најмала оддалеченост од форникси/ зафаќање на вагинална лигавица, зафаќање на хируршките рабови, хистолошки тип, степен на хистолошка диференцијација, инвазија во лимфо-васкуларните простори, обемност на инфламаторниот инфилтрат, HPV статус) кај цервикалниот карцином во рани стадиуми на болеста, со евалуација на нивното влијание на појавата на релапси и преживувањето на пациентите. МАТЕРИЈАЛ И МЕТОДИ Предмет на испитување на оваа студија е релативно хомогена серија од 237 пациенти со инвазивен цервикален карцином кои примарно хируршки се лекувани со абдоминална радикална хистеректомија и регионална пелвична лимфаденектомија во периодот од ноември 1988 до крајот на јуни 1997 година. Нивните оперативни материјали се униформно хистопатолошки анализирани во Лабораторијата за хистопатологија и клиничка цитологија при Институтот за радиотерапија и онкологија во Скопје. За група од 195 пациенти со методот на in situ хибридизација е одредувано присуството на Human Papilloma вирусната (HPV) DNA во неоплазмата, при што се употребени мешани проби за идентификација на HPV тип 6/11, 16/18 и 31/33/51 (Enzo Diagnostics, New York). РЕЗУЛТАТИ За сите пациенти е одреден постоперативниот стадиум врз основа на критериумите на постоперативната TNM-класификација на UICC (1997). Притоа неоплазмата е ограничена на грлото на матката кај 101 (42.6%) пациент, додека локално проширување и зафаќање на вагиналната лигавица и параметриумите е присутно кај 14 (5.9%), односно 50 (21.1%) пациенти. Зафаќање на регионалните лимфни јазли е најдено кај 72 (30.4%) пациенти. Сите испитувани параметри освен хистолошкиот тип, имаат значајно прогностичко влијание на појавата на пелвични лимфонодални метастази. Во тек на клиничкото следење (просек 57, распон 18-124 месеци), појава на релапс е дијагностицирана кај 50 пациенти од кои 39 починале од болеста. Очекуваното општо преживување е 80.8%, додека процентот на 5 и 10-годишно преживување без релапс изнесува 76.8%, односно 75.5%. Според резултатите од униваријантната анализа, значајни предиктивни индикатори за појава на релапси се: лимфонодалниот статус и од неговите параметри само зафаќањето на заедничките илијачни лимфни јазли, повеќето морфометриски (освен зафаќањето на хируршките рабови), морфохистолошки (освен степенот на хистолошка диференцијација) и клинички параметри (FIGO стадиумот, но не возраста), како и присуството на HPV DNA во неоплазмата. Исто така, повеќето испитувани карактеристики, освен параметрите на лимфонодалниот статус, зафаќањето на вагиналната лигавица, зафаќањето на хируршките рабови, степенот на хистолошка диференцијација и возраста се важни прогностички параметри за општото преживување на пациентите. Од сите нив, при мултиваријантната анализа, како најзначајни независни прогностички параметри во однос на disease-free и општото преживување се селектирани: инвазијата во крвни садови, лимфонодалниот статус, туморскиот дијаметар, обемноста на инфламаторниот инфилтрат во зоната на инвазивниот фронт на неоплазмата и дебелината на незафатена цервикална строма, односно параметријалното зафаќање. Според вредноста на прогностичкиот индекс (PI), пресметан врз основа на Cox-овиот регресионен модел, пациентите се поделени во три ризични групи, меѓу кои постојат статистички значајни разлики во процентот на disease-free и општото преживување. Со оглед на поголемата предиктивна вредност на овие наоди во споредба со дистрибуцијата според постоперативниот стадиум, предложена е модификација на постојната постоперативна TNM- класификација за цервикалниот карцином, со промени во критериумите за категоризација во раните стадиуми на болеста. ЗАКЛУЧОЦИ Резултатите укажуваат дека кај примарно хируршки третираните пациенти со цервикален карцином во рани стадиуми на болеста, за попрецизно одредување на прогнозата, би требало да се применат наодите на мултиваријантната анализа, односно критериумите на предложената модифицирана постоперативна TNM-класификација. Прогностичкиот индекс (PI), како индикатор за местото на пациентите во прогностичкиот спектар е солидна основа за соодветно планирање на последователната терапија кај примарно хируршки третираните пациенти. Со негова примена е можно полесно да се идентификуваат пациентите со цервикален карцином кај кои е потребна примена на модифициран терапевтски пристап. - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Predictive value of estrogen receptors evaluated by immunocytochemical analysis in breast cancer patients(Gustav Fischer, 1997-09) ;Yashar, Genghis ;Ivkovski, Ljube; Zografski, GeorgeBACKGROUND: The determination of estrogen receptor (ER)status is valuable in selecting the appropriate therapy and predicting prognosis for patients with invasive breast carcinoma. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to assess the predictive value of ER status evaluated preoperatively by immunocytochemical analysis and compared with recurrence rate, clinical and histopathological features in 52 patients with breast carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-two aspirates obtained by fine-needle-aspiration biopsy (FNAB) were prepared as cytospin samples for ER-immunocytochemical analysis (ER-1CA). Cytospin slides were stained using a standard procedure with horseradish peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) method, utilising monoclonal antibody to ER (H222SP, ER-ICA kit, Abbott Laboratories, USA). The assessment of staining was scored in a semiquantitative fashion incorporating the intensity and the distribution of stained cells and the values were designated as IS-CYTOSCORE. All the patients underwent radical mastectomy with axillar lymphadenectomy during the period from September 1990 to March 1992 and were staged according to the postoperative pTNM classification of UICC (1987) guidelines. During the follow-up period (range, 2-75 months, mean 32) recurrences were observed in 25 (48%) patients.ER status was correlated to recurrence rate, age of the patients, type of the breast carcinoma, tumor size, grade of histologic differentiation, desmoplastic reaction, elastosis, necrosis and calcifications. The comparison was made by cross-classification and statistical significance determined by χ2 and Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: ER status was positively detected in 28 (53.8%) patients. There is significant association between ER status and age of the patients (p = 0.02), the type of the breast carcinoma (p = 0.018), and the recurrence rate (p = 0.012). Eighteen out of 26 (70%) patients 50 years or older, were positively related to ER status. In 22 (42.3%) lobular carcinomas, ER status was positive in 16 (73%) patients, compared with 30 (57.7%) ductal carcinomas, with ER status positive for 12 (40%) patients, only. Recurrences were observed in 16 (64%) patients with ER- breast carcinomas and 9 (36%) patients with ER+ breast carcinomas. Less important histopathological features as elastosis and calcifications, demonstrated statistically significant positive relation with ER status (p = 0.004 and p = 0.005, respectively). No significant association was found between the ER status and other histopathological characteristics. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that recurrences, age of the patients and the lobular type of breast carcinoma are positively correlated with ER status. These data are consistent with the results of other similar studies. On the other hand, the stage of the disease as well as the grade of histologic differentiation and lymph node involvement, demonstrated no significant association with ER status as expected. A small number of cases studied and the heterogeneous stages included, could explain some of the differences between our data and the results from other studies. Semiquantitative ER-1CA, as fast and simple method, is especially useful in determination of ER status in recurrent, metastatic and small-sized breast carcinomas. The great advantage of ER-ICA is in a possibility of ER status preoperative determination, and repeating the procedure, if necessary. Despite the good performances, some inherent difficulties must be noted: subjectivity in scoring and detection by antigenicity of ER. Therefore, ER status quantitative assessment by using Cell-Analysing-System (CAS) and concomitant quantitative measurements of progesterone receptor status, should be of additional benefit. - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Human papilloma virus DNA presence in early stage cervical carcinomas: Correlation with other prognostic factors and recurrence rate(Gustav Fischer, 1997-09); ;Ivkovski, Ljube ;Yashar, GenghisStavrik, GeorgeBACKGROUND: Although the role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in cervical carcinogenesis is reasonably well established, the attempts to determine the prognostic value of presence or absence of detectable human papillomavirus DNA and HPV type in cervical carcinoma have yielded conflicting results. OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to assess the prognostic significance of the presence of HPV DNA by exploring the relationship of HPV presence to the recurrence rate and clinical and histopathologic features of 92 patients with cervical carcinoma..In this report the preliminary results of a larger programme aimed to search for the prognostic factors in a fairly homogenous population of patients with early stage cervical carcinomas who underwent abdominal hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy as primary therapy, followed by postoperative adjuvant pelvic radiotherapy, are presented MATERIALS AND METHODS: Routinely processed formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded cervical carcinoma surgical specimens were examined for the presence of HPV DNA by in situ hybridization technique using mixed biotinylated probes to identify HPV types 6/11, 16/18 and 31/33/51 (Enzo Diagnostics, New York). Clinical data and histopathologic features of these patients were analyzed retrospectively to determine their relation to presence or absence of HPV DNA. All the patients were staged according to the postoperative TNM classification of UICC (1987) guidelines. In our case series the tumor was limited to cervix in 48 (52.2%) patients, while local extension to vagina and parametrial tissues was found in 10 (10.9%) and 34 (36.9%) patients, respectively. Pelvic lymph node involvement was found in 25 (27.2%) patients. During the follow-up period (range, 2-87, mean, 35 months), recurrences were observed in 13 patients. Variables were compared by cross-classification and statistical significance was determined by χ2 and Fisher`s exact test. RESULTS: HPV DNA was detected in 41 (44.6%) cervical carcinoma specimens. The prevalence rate of different HPV types was 37% (34) for HPV 16/18, 6.5% (6) for HPV 31/33/5, while HPV type 6/11 was detected only in one case of verrucous carcinoma. Recurrence rate was significantly higher in patients with HPV DNA negative cervical carcinomas (P=0.02). Among the HPV DNA positive patients with cervical carcinoma the recurrence rate was 4.9% (2 cases), compared to 21.6% (5 cases) for the HPV DNA negative group. Various clinical and histopathologic features of the patients with cervical carcinomas (tumor extent, grade, presence of regional lymph nodal metastases, number of positive lymph nodes, histologic subtype, maximum depth of cervical stromal invasion, maximal tumor diameter, longitudinal endocervical involvement, proportionate longitudinal endocervical involvement, tumor-cervix area quotient, maximal and minimal sagittal tumor area, parametrial involvement, vaginal involvement, lymph-vascular space invasion, peri- and intra-tumoral lymphocytic infiltration, surgical margins involvement, age) were also correlated with the presence of HPV DNA. No statistically significant association was found between the presence of HPV DNA and 17 other clinical and histopathologic variables. On the other hand recurrence rates were significantly related to tumor extent (P=0.0001), presence of regional lymph nodal metastases (P=0.0002), maximal tumor diameter (P=0.14), proportionate longitudinal endocervical involvement (P=0.007), maximal sagittal tumor area (P=0.038), parametrial involvement (P=0.0001), vaginal involvement (P=0.03), and lymph-vascular space invasion (P=0.0023). CONCLUSIONS: The preliminary results of our study are consistent the observations reported by several other authors. The presence of HPV DNA appeared to be related to recurrence rate and unrelated to various histopathologic characteristics of well-known prognostic significance. However, having in mind the limited number of cases studied, as well as a lower sensitivity of in situ hybridization technique, an analysis of larger series, as well as introducing a more sensitive technique like PCR assay, will be necessary to determine whether the presence of HPV DNA and HPV type should be considered when developing treatment strategies and assessing prognosis in patients with early stage cervical carcinomas. - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Postoperative TNM classification of breast cancer. Implications for further treatment (1989-1995)(University of Niš Faculty of Medicine and the Department of the Serbian Medical Society Niš, 1996-06) ;Yashar, GenghisThis study includes 1403 postoperative breast cancer specimens elaborated in our laboratory over the period of last 7 years. The average age of the patients is 54.36 years (range 22-90) and the majority are in the age groups of 41-50 and 51-60 (55.95%). The size of the primary tumour (longest diameter) belongs mostly to the category of T2 (primary tumor 2-5 cm). There are 831 cases in this group or 59.23%. Metastatic spread in the regional lymph nodes is absent in 541 cases (38.56%) and in 278 cases (19.81 %) metastatic deposits are encountered in N1biv category (bigger than 2 cm, in the greatest diameter). The most common type of breast cancer is ductal carcinoma which is present in 649 cases (46.26%). Grade of histologic differentiation is mostly moderate (G2) with 864 cases (61.58%). The majority of the patients are in the stage II of the disease (IIA +IIB = 953 cases or 67.97%). In comparision to the similar studies found in the available references it is obvious we have fewer patients in the stage I but the same number in stage II where the disease is more advanced. This means that examination and diagnosis of the breast cancer is for a step later than the degree when usually more agressive therapy is needed considering the percent of the patients in the higher stages of the disease. - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Postoperative TNM classification of cervical cancer (1989-1995)(University of Niš Faculty of Medicine and the Department of the Serbian Medical Society Niš, 1996-06)The aim of this study is to present and analyze the results of the application of postoperative TNM classification of cervical cancer. For this purpose we have reviewed the clinical and histopathological data of 464 patients with cervical intraepithelial (74) and invasive cancer (390) who underwent abdominal hysterectomy or radical hysterectomy with regional lymphadenectomy from March 1989 to December 1995. There were 74 (16.0%) cases of Stage 0, 211 (45.5%) of Stage I, 88 (18.9%) of Stage II, 84 (18.1%) of Stage III and 7 (1.5) cases of Stage IV. In our case series (399) we have found significant rate of discordance between clinical FIGO and postoperative stadium. The incidence of error increases progressively as the stage grows more advanced, with prevalent understaging. Cross relationships of tumor extent, incidence of lymph node metastasis, grade of tumor differentiation, histological type, and age of the patients were also studied and are discussed. These data indicate that postoperative TNM classification staging system should be applied regularly, systematically and universally. - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Prognostic significance of the human papillomavirus DNA presence in early stage cervical carcinoma(1996-05); Stavrik, GeorgeAlthough the role of human papillomavirus in cervical carcinogenesis is reasonably well established, the attempts to determine the prognostic value of presence or absence of detectable human papillomavirus DNA and HPV type in cervical carcinoma have yielded conflicting results. The objective of our study was to assess the prognostic significance of the presence of HPV DNA in a fairly homogenous population of patients with early stage cervical carcinomas who underwent abdominal hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy as primary therapy. In this report the preliminary results of this larger study are presented by exploring the relationship of HPV presence to the recurrence rate and clinical and histopathologic features of 44 patients with cervical carcinoma. Routinely processed formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded cervical carcinoma surgical specimens were examined for the presence of HPV DNA by in situ hybridization technique using mixed biotinylated probes to identify HPV types 6/11, 16/18 and 31/33/51. Clinical and histopathologic data of these patients was analyzed retrospectively to determine their relation to presence or absence of HPV DNA. All the patients were staged according to the postoperative TNM classification of UICC (1987) guidelines. In our case series the tumor was limited to cervix in 24 (54.6%) patients, while local extension to vagina and parametrial tissues was found in 6 (13.6%) and 14 (31.8%) patients, respectively. Pelvic lymph node involvement was found in 15 (34%) patients. During the follow up period (range, 2-72, mean, 39 months), recurrences were observed in 6 patients. HPV DNA was detected in 20 (45%) cervical carcinoma specimens. The prevalence rate of different HPV types was 34% (18) for HPV 16/18, 9% (4) for HPV 31/33/5, while HPV type 6/11 was detected only in one case of verrucous carcinoma. Recurrence rate in relation to the presence of HPV DNA exhibited a trend but was not statistically significant. Among the HPV DNA positive patients with cervical carcinoma the recurrence rate was 5% (1 case), compared to 21% (5 cases) for the HPV DNA negative group. Various clinical and histopathologic features of the patients with cervical carcinomas (tumor extent, grade, presence of regional lymph nodal metastases, histologic subtype, maximum depth of cervical stromal invasion, longitudinal tumor diameter, tumor-cervix area quotient, parametrial involvement, vaginal invasion, lymph-vascular space invasion, peri- and intra-tumoral lymphocytic infiltration, age) were also correlated with the presence of HPV. None of these factors was found to have statistically significant relationship to the presence of HPV DNA. The preliminary results of our study are consistent the observations reported by several other authors. The presence of HPV DNA appeared to be unrelated to recurrence rate and various histopathologic characteristics of well-known prognostic significance. However, having in mind the limited number of cases studied, as well as a lower sensitivity of in situ hybridization technique, an analysis of larger series, as well as introducing a more sensitive technique like PCR assay, will be necessary to determine whether the presence of HPV DNA and HPV type should be considered when developing treatment strategies and assessing prognosis in patients with early stage cervical carcinomas. - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Computer system for data processing in a histopathology and cytopathology laboratory(Science Printers and Publishers, 1990-06) ;Stavrik, George ;Zografski, George; ;Ivkovski, LjubeTrpkov, KirilA computer system for data processing in a histopathology and cytopathology laboratory handling about 16,000 new specimens a year is described. The system is used for storing all data, producing the reports, identifying unfinished cases, retrieving previous reports for patients with new specimens, tabulating specific findings, making monthly reports of diagnoses of malignancy, correlating histologic and cytologic diagnoses, surveying findings according to organ and morphology, and billing. The introduction of the computer system has provided significant augmentation of productivity and a basis for quality control, scientific research and cytopathologic correlations. - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, A new familial mutation in the SRY gene (Arg133Gly)(Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 2006-09) ;Plaseska-Karanfilska, Dijana ;Noveski, Predrag ;Kuzevska, Klementina; Mutations in the testis-determining gene SRY result in XY sex reversal with pure gonadal dysgenesis (PGD). Most of the SRY mutations affect the HMG domain of SRY which plays a central role in DNA binding and bending activity of SRY. The arginine at codon 133 is conserved in the SRY gene of all studied species. It is part of the basic C-terminal region of the HMG box, which was proposed to provide nuclear localization signal. A de novo Arg133Trp mutation was described in two unrelated patients with pure gonadal dysgenesis. Impaired nuclear localization of SRY was proposed as a cause of organogenesis failure for mutations affecting Arg133. Here we describe a novel mutation that affects codon 133 of the SRY gene, resulting in an arginine to glycine substitution in the protein. It was detected in a 17 years old girl with primary amenorrhea, non-mosaic 46,XY karyotype and bilateral gonadoblastoma. The Arg133Gly mutation in the SRY gene was also detected in patient’s father, who is a phenotipically normal male. However, the mutation was not found in the SRY gene of 90 other males, thus excluding the possibility of a common polymorphism. Our report of familial Arg133Gly mutation suggests that replacement of Arg 133 of the SRY is not sufficient for impaired organogenesis and emphasizes the importance of modifier genes in the sex determination pathway. - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Endometrial adenocarcinoma occuring in young women(Hellenic Division of International Academy of Pathology, 2003-05) ;Kubelka-Sabit, Katerina ;Prodanova, Irina ;Yashar, Genghis ;Zografski, GeorgeBackground: Endometrial adenocarcinoma (EA) primarily occurs in postmenopausal women. Only 1-8% of the cases are diagnosed in women under forty years of age, while this neoplasm is extremely rare in the third decade. Hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy (HSOPL) is the treatment of choice for older or patients with invasive EA. However, in young women with non-invasive well-differentiated EAs, who wish to preserve their fertility, conservative treatment with progestins can be tried. Aims: The purpose of this retrospective study is to present the clinical and morphologic characteristics, as well as the immunohistochemical profile of 3 cases of well-differentiated EAs, that occurred in women in their third decade of life. Since the neoplasms were non-invasive, an attempt to preserve their fertility has been made. Methods and patients: Six of the 1081 cases (0.5%) of EA diagnosed at the Department of Histopathology and Clinical Cytology in the last 14-year period (1989-2002), occurred in patients younger than 35 years. Three of them (1.4%, 3/206), have been diagnosed in the last two years (2001-2002). The youngest of the last three patients (age 21), had a genetic abnormality (45X/47XXX) and experienced prolonged and heavy uterine bleedings that required explorative curettage. The second patient (age 25) had a history of diabetes and infertility. The neoplasm was found in the endometrial biopsy that was taken for evaluation of the endometrial response to hormonal stimulation. In the third patient (age 27) the neoplasm was an accidental finding in the cervical curettage material that was submitted to our department, for histopathologic reevaluation of the previously diagnosed moderate dysplasia of the epithelium of the uterine cervix. The materials, obtained either by dilatation and curettage (3 cases) or HSOPL (one case), were submitted to our department and were routinely processed. Standard hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained slides were prepared from paraffin blocks, whereas additional histochemical (PAS, alcian blue, azan, silver by Jones) and immunohistochemical stains (estrogen-ER, progesterone-PgR, p53, Ki-67) were performed on selected paraffin blocks that contained the neoplastic tissue. Results: In the curettage materials of the three patients, fragments of endometrial polyp were identfied, that contained areas of simple, complex and atypical hyperplasia. In each of these cases, only few small (1-3-millimetre in diameter) foci of well-differentiated EA were detected. Fragments of functional endometrium were also present. All three patients had hormone (ER, PgR) responsive neoplasms, whereas Ki-67 proliferative index was significantly higher in the neoplastic tissue (30-40%), compared to the zones of atypical hyperplasia (10-20%). The suppressor gene protein product p53 was negative in all three EAs. Subsequent dilatation and curettage to remove the residual parts of the polyp was performed in two of the patients. Conservative 5-6-month treatment with progestins led to regression of the disease in all patients, documented by endoscopy and curettage in two patients. As for the youngest patient, clinical decision for HSOPL has been made, and multiple sections of the operative material did not show any residual EA. Conclusions: Even though extremely rare, EAS may occur in asymptomatic patient and/or in young women without clinical evidence of polycystic ovary disease. In these patients careful histopathologic evaluation of the curettage material is essential, in order to select the ones to whom conservative fertility-preserving treatment can be offered. - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Axillary lymph node metastases in early (pT1) breast carcinomas: Most of the common prognostic factors lack predictive value.(University of Ioannina, 2003-09) ;Yashar, Genghis; ;Ivkovski, LjubeZografski, GeorgeIntroduction: Axillary lymph node status is an important prognostic feature for patients with breast cancer, but the diagnostic and therapeutic value of axillary lymph node dissection in early breast carcinomas has been questioned. Aim: The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine whether routine biological tumor markers, in addition to conventional clinical and histopathological features can predict axillary lymph node metastases in early breast carcinomas (pT1). Material and methods: Data from 90 patients with pT1 breast cancer who underwent radical mastectomy or lumpectomy with axillary lymph node dissection between January 2000 and April 2003 were investigated. The association between axillary lymph node status and several clinicopathological factors (age, size, tumor grade, histological type), as well as immunohistochemical expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER/PgR), Ki-67 and p53, were analyzed. Hormone receptor status, Ki-67 and p53 expression were assessed by immunohistochemistry and the results were evaluated by performing the standardized scoring system. Results: From the total of 90 patients, 35 (396) were with axillary lymph node metastases. Among the factors studied only the tumor size appeared to correlate with the incidence of lymph node involvement, but this was not statistically significant (p=0.07). Axillary lymph node involvement was present in 4 (286) of the 19 patients with primary tumors <1cm (pT1a+pT1b), compared with 31 (44%) of the 71 with tumors >1cm (pT1c). Hormone receptor status, proliferative activity (Ki-67), and p53 expression were not predictors of nodal involvement in early breast carcinomas. Conclusion: Therefore, biological tumor markers as well as most of the common prognostic clinicopathological factors are not reliable predictors of lymph node metastasis in early breast carcinomas.
