Quantitative histopathology in XXXX . Prognostic significance of mitotic counts.

@entity1 @entity2198 @entity0 @entity2931 @entity5 @entity2101
Reliable prognostic factors are needed to improve the stratification of @entity1 with @entity0 to different therapy modalities. We investigated the prognostic value of quantitative histopathology in a retrospective study of 98 "low-risk" @entity0 @entity1 (T1+2N0M0) with a median follow-up of 9 years. An interactive video system and stereological and morphometric techniques were used to obtain estimates of four nuclear features (mean volume, mean profile area, volume fraction, and profile density), and two mitotic counts [ @entity2198 ( @entity2198 ) and @entity2101 ( @entity2101 )]. All measurements were performed in fields of vision sampled systematically from the whole @entity5 area of a routine histological section. Histological grade, histological type, and @entity2931 receptor (ER) status was reassessed, whereas @entity5 diameter and age at diagnosis were recorded from the files. We found that all quantitative histopathological variables and ER status were correlated with histological grade. Single-factor prognostic analyses showed a highly significant value of @entity2198 (2p = 0.001) and a marginally significant value of @entity2101 (2p = 0.09), whereas no other variable approached statistical significance (2p > or = 0.25). In a multivariate Cox analysis, @entity2198 was the only parameter of significant independent prognostic value (2p = 0.03). Thus, the prognostic value of nuclear features found in previous studies could not be reproduced, whereas the marked value of mitotic counts for prediction of the outcome in @entity1 with @entity0 was confirmed. Mitotic counts are easily obtained and may be of clinical value for identification of high-risk cases among @entity1 with @entity0 .
