Cell proliferation was evaluated in 167 tissue specimens obtained from primary breast cancer patients who had undergone radical surgery between 1984 and 1988. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue specimens were used in the immunohistochemical study. The immunohistochemical method was carried out using the avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase technique, and anti-proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) monoclonal antibody was used for primary antibody. Based upon the PCNA labeling index (LI), the patients were divided into two groups: low PCNA, <25% and high PCNA, >/= 25%. The PCNA LI ranged from 1% to 76% (mean, 23.9%). Patients aged 50 years. There was no relationship between the PCNA LI and tumor size, lymph node involvement and hormone receptors. The survival curves of 146 invasive breast cancer patients showed that the high PCNA group had poor overall survival compared with the low PCNA group. A significant difference in the overall survival between the high and low PCNA groups was observed in lymph node-positive patients, however, no significant difference was found between the two groups in lymph node-negative patients. PCNA LI was identified as an independent predictor in primary breast cancer patients.

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