Proliferative activity of well differentiated
neuroendocrine tumours of the gut
M.E. Zimmermann and F.T. Bosman
Institut Universitaire de Pathologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire
Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland
Offprint requests to: Fred
T. Bosman MD PhD, University Institute of Pathology, Bugnon 25,
CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland. Fax: 0041 21 314 72 05. e-mail:
Fred.Bosman@chuv.hospvd.ch
Summary. Neuroendocrine tumours of the gastrointestinal tract
are relatively uncommon neoplasms with, in spite of their characteristic
morphology, relatively unpredictable biological behaviour. In
some sites, notably the appendix, these tumours are largely benign
whereas at other localisations, such as the small bowel, metastases
occur and the outcome is less favourable. Given the lack of discriminative
power of histological parameters, immunohistochemical parameters
have been proposed. Of these the Ki-67 index, as an indicator
of proliferative activity, has shown some promise.
In order to assess their proliferative activity and the potential
contribution of this parameter to defining biological behaviour,
we performed Ki-67 immunostaining of a series of 64 well differentiated
neuroendocrine tumours of the gut (stomach, small bowel, appendix,
colon and rectum). Ki-67 labeling index, based upon counting of
up to 5000 cells, ranged between 0 and 6.1. No difference was
found according to age, gender, size, location or TNM classification.
Ki-67 labeling index of midgut endocrine tumours of long term
surviving patients did not differ from patients that died.
We conclude that Ki-67 labeling index as an indicator of proliferative
activity of well differentiated neuroendocrine tumours of the
digestive tract does not correlate with size nor site nor stage.
Even though only small numbers of tumours could be analysed, which
hampered appropriate statistical analysis, it seems unlikely that
proliferative activity has potential as an independent prognostic
parameter for this type of tumour. Histol. Histopathol. 18,
353-358 (2003)
Key words: Well differentiated neuroendocrine tumours,
Digestive tract, Ki-67, Proliferation
DOI: 10.14670/HH-18.353