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DNA measurement, proliferation markers, and other factors in pituitary adenomas

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Abstract

To assess the proliferative activity of pituitary adenomas, 36 surgically removed adenomas were studied by light microscopical parameters; mitotic count; expression of PCNA, Ki-67, cathepsin D, and EGF; and image cytometry. Three adenomas (9%) showed high, 11 (34%) medium, 17 (53%) moderate, and 1 (3%) low structural differentiation. In 10 adenomas (31%), no mitosis was observed. The average was 2.4 mitoses/100 HPF; the highest count was 7.1 mitoses/100 HPF. Eleven adenomas (33.3%) were PCNA-negative; in 20 adenomas (60.6%), between 0.05 and 3.9, and in 2 adenomas (6.0%), between 10.5 and 16.4 PCNA-positive nuclei were observed. Only a recurrent null-cell adenoma (9%) was Ki-67-negative. Three adenomas (9.1%) were EGF-negative, 28 (84.8%) showed up to 10% positive cells, and 2 (6.1 %) showed between 10 and 30% positive cells; 19 adenomas (68%) were cathepsin D-negative, including all endocrine-inactive adenomas. Half the adenomas had an euploid DMA stem line. Endocrine-inactive adenomas displayed a higher rate of euploid DNA stem lines than endocrine-active adenomas. The S-phase fraction varied between 2.97 and 28%, with a mean value of 14.4%. Half the adenomas showed an S-phase fraction of 11.65% or lower.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Marienkrankenhaus Hamburg, University of Hamburg, Alfredstraße 9, 22087, Hamburg, Germany

    Angelika Krämer, Wolfgang Saeger & Gesche Tallen

  2. Department of Neurosurgery, University of Hamburg, Hamurg, Germany

    Dieter K. Lüdecke

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  1. Angelika Krämer
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  2. Wolfgang Saeger
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  3. Gesche Tallen
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  4. Dieter K. Lüdecke
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Krämer, A., Saeger, W., Tallen, G. et al. DNA measurement, proliferation markers, and other factors in pituitary adenomas. Endocr Pathol 5, 198–211 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02921487

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