Discussion
Breast Cancer, breast cancers[The suppression of Ki67, primary breast cancer, breast cancer
PROLIFERATION, DISEASE, BREAST CANCER, BREAST CANCER
Ki67 is the most widely measured marker of proliferation in primary breast cancer. While there have been many reports of the association of Ki67 with clinico-pathological parameters in breast cancer there have been very few large studies that focussed entirely on ER + disease where its measurement has greatest impact. The magnitude of our study enabled us not only to confirm previously hypothesised relationships but also to quantify the degree of independence of each relationship within a multivariable context. It also allowed us to discover with high levels of confidence other relationships that have remained either unknown or less clear in earlier studies. We were able to do so for 3 measurements with distinct clinical relationships with clinical outcome: (i) Ki67Other strengths of the study include the central analysis of Ki67 using a scoring method that was marginally modified prior to its analytical validation by the International Ki67 in Breast Cancer Working Group[Relationships of Ki67There was less proportional suppression of Ki67 in PgR- than PgR + cases leading to the relative difference in Ki67The poorer ∆Ki67While others have reported lower Ki67 values in excisions versus core-cuts of breast cancers[The suppression of Ki67 by AIs was similar to that reported previously[