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Pediatric Medulloblastoma: Prognostic Value of p53, bcl-2, Mib-1, and Microvessel Density

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to retrospectively assess the prognostic value of p53 and bcl-2 protein expression, cell proliferation index (Mib-1 index), and tumor microvessel density (factor VIII-related antigen) in pediatric medulloblastoma patients. Tumor specimens of 55 patients (age 2–18 years) with medulloblastoma treated with a curative intent between 1972 and 1991 were studied. Slides of paraffin embedded tissue were stained with monoclonal antibodies (mAb) and examined under high power light microscopy for the presence of immunoreactivity. Microvessel density was scored both in the area of most intense staining (‘Angio-max’) and in 3 additional randomly selected areas. The sum of these 4 scores was termed ‘Angio-total’. ‘Angio-max’ and ‘Angio-total’ were evaluated separately by two independent investigators to assess reproducibility. None of the parameters studied, i.e. p53 or bcl-2 expression, Mib-1 index or microvessel density scores were associated with patient survival. Microvessel scores between observers were significantly but weakly correlated, with correlation coefficients (r)<0.5 for both ‘Angio-max’ and ‘Angio-total’. Leptomeningeal spread at diagnosis was the only independent factor associated with a poor survival (p=0.003). There was no association of leptomeningeal metastasis with any of the biological markers tested in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Hospital of Geneva, Zürich, Switzerland

    Raymond Miralbell, André-Pascal Sappino, Michael S. Pepper & Gianpaolo Pizzolato

  2. University Hospital of Basel, Zürich, Switzerland

    Markus Tolnay & Alphonse Probst

  3. Ospedale San Giovanni of Bellinzona, Zürich, Switzerland

    Sabine Bieri

  4. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich, Switzerland

    Willi Berchtold

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  1. Raymond Miralbell
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  2. Markus Tolnay
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  3. Sabine Bieri
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  4. Alphonse Probst
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  5. André-Pascal Sappino
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  6. Willi Berchtold
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  7. Michael S. Pepper
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  8. Gianpaolo Pizzolato
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Miralbell, R., Tolnay, M., Bieri, S. et al. Pediatric Medulloblastoma: Prognostic Value of p53, bcl-2, Mib-1, and Microvessel Density. J Neurooncol 45, 103–110 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006330324991

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