Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ki-67 levels linked to prognosis in cat mammary cancer tumors
By Soares, M et al.·Published in Veterinary pathology·2016·CIISA·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Ki-67 as a Prognostic Factor in Feline Mammary Carcinoma: What Is the Optimal Cutoff Value?
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study looked at 96 female cats with mammary cancer to see how a protein called Ki-67 could help predict how aggressive the cancer might be. They found that if the Ki-67 level was 14% or higher, the tumors were often larger, less differentiated, and more likely to spread, leading to a shorter survival time. The researchers suggest using this 14% level as a key marker to identify cats at higher risk for disease progression. This information can help veterinarians make better treatment decisions for cats with mammary tumors.
People also search for: cat mammary cancer prognosis · Ki-67 in cats · feline breast cancer treatment options
Abstract
Ki-67 is a nuclear protein and a proliferation marker frequently used in establishing the prognosis for breast cancer patients. To investigate the prognostic value of the Ki-67 proliferation index in female cats with mammary carcinoma, a prospective study was conducted with 96 animals. The Ki-67 index of primary tumors (n = 96) was initially determined, and whenever possible, the Ki-67 index of regional lymph node metastasis (n = 38) and distant metastasis (n = 16) was also estimated. The optimal cutoff value for the Ki-67 index was determined by univariate and multivariate analysis. Ki-67 indices ≥ 14% were detected in 72.9% (70 of 96) of the tumors. Tumors with a Ki-67 index ≥ 14% were significantly associated with large size (P = .022), poor differentiation (P = .009), presence of necrotic areas (P = .008), estrogen receptor-negative status (P < .0001), fHER2-negative status (P = .003), and shorter overall survival (P = .012). Moreover, Ki-67 expression in the primary tumor was strongly and positively correlated with both regional metastasis (P < .0001; r = 0.83) and distant metastasis (P < .0001; r = 0.83), and was significantly higher in distant metastases when compared with the primary tumor (P = .0009). A similar correlation was also observed between regional and distant metastasis (P < .0001; r = 0.75). On the basis of the above results, the authors propose the adoption of the 14% value as the optimal cutoff for Ki-67 to identify tumors with high risk of disease progression.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26080833/