Abstract: To elucidate the clinical value of expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA)and Ki67 in brain astrocytomas, the immunostaining of PCNA and Ki67 in 38 astrocytomas were performed by Streptavidin-Peroxidase(SP)method. The result showed the difference of PCNA labeling index(PCNA LI)between tumor grades were statistically significant(P<0.05)except those in group Ⅲ and group Ⅳ. In general,PCNA LI increased with tumor grade. Though total variance of Ki67 LI among tumor grades was remarkable(P< 0.05), there were no significant difference among groupⅠ and Ⅱ and group Ⅲ and Ⅳ. The mean tumor volume had a positive correlation with PCNA LI(r=0.97, P< 0.05). It can be concluded that the expression of PCNA at protein level assessed half quantitatively by immunohistochemistry combined with pathology seem to give reliable information about biological behavior including proliferative potential, growth patterns and histological feather of astrocytomas.

Key words: astrocytoma, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, Ki67, immunohistochemistry, cell proliferation