CELL-KINETICS AND HORMONAL FEATURES IN RELATION TO PATHOLOGICAL STAGE IN BREAST-CANCER

Proliferative activity (expressed as H-3-thymidine labeling index, H-3-TdR LI) was evaluated on a series of 281 primary tumors recruited in two years in 6 different institutions from central Italy. H-3-TdR LI proved to be low in intraductal, or well and moderately differentiated, or hormone receptor positive tumors. Conversely, no relation was observed between H-3-TdR LI and menopause, tumor size, or lymph node involvement. An inverse relation was observed between H-3-TdR LI and hormone receptor content. Specific patterns of H-3-TdR LI value and ER content association were observed as a function of menopause, lymph nodal status, and degree of lymph nodal involvement.