Rates of cellular proliferation and DNA synthesis have been shown to be important factors in the prognosis of many human malignancies. Several nuclear proteins have recently been described to be expressed in the proliferating and transformed
cells.
Among these proteins, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is a 36 KD nuclear protein associated with the cell cycle and has also been known as cyclin or auxillary protein for DNA systhesis. PCNA is present scantly in normal nondividing
cells
or
tissues and appears significantly in the late G-1 phase and S-phase of the cell cycle and immediately preceding DNA synthesis.
The purpose of this study was to clarify the significance of PCNA as a marker of cellular proliferation and possible parameters of diagnosis and evaluation of prognosis in the squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix.
Immunohistochemical staining to identify PCNA was applied to 42 cases of paraffin section from 35 cases of the invasive cervical cancer, accompanying with 7 cases of normal uterine cervix.
Expression of PCNA was evaluated in formalin fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues of uterine cervix, using immunoperoxidase staining and PC10 monoclonal antibody to PCNA. PCNA indices were calculated by counting the dark-brown nucler staining.
@ES The results were summarized as follows:
@EN 1) PCNA indices were 45±6% in invasive carcinoma of uterine cervix and 5±4% in control group.
2) PCNA indices were 42±8% in large cell keratinizing type and 45±16% in large cell nonkeratinizing type.
3) PCNA indices according to degree of the cervical involvement were 47±13% in more than half group and 44±18% in less than half group.
4) PCNA indices according to lymph node involvement were 43±20% in involvement group and 47±13% in non-involvement group.
5) According to various pathologic parameters, recurrence rate was higher in cases of lymph node metastasis, large cell nonkeartinizing type and parametrial involvement.
6) According to recurrence, PCNA indices were 41±10% in the recurrent group and 45±17% in no recurrent group.
7) There was no statistical difference between <60% group and ≥60% group of PCNA index in view of recurrenc rate.
In conclusion, there is no statistical correlation between PCNA indices and recurrence rate. So, there is a limitation in PCNA indices when it was used as a prognostic parameter of uterine cervical cancer.
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