Replicative MCM7 protein as a proliferation marker in endometrial carcinoma: A tissue microarray and clinicopathological analysis

Aims: To assess, in tissue microarray (TMA), the proliferative activity of endometrial carcinoma using one of the minichromosome maintenance (MCM) proteins (MCM7), and to explore its potential value for prognosis. MCM proteins are essential for eukaryotic DNA replication and have recently been used to define the proliferative compartments in human tissues. Methods and results: Immunohistochemistry for MCM7 and Ki67 was performed on TMAs constructed from 212 cases of endometrial carcinoma. MCM7 and Ki67 expression was quantified according to the extent of nuclear staining. An analysis was carried out of the association between MCM7 expression and that of Ki67 and the clinicopathological characteristics of endometrial carcinoma. MCM7 and Ki67 immunoreactivity was clearly evident in the nuclei of tumour cells. MCM7 and Ki67 labelling indices in endometrial carcinomas correlated with each other (P < 0.001). A significant correlation existed between the MCM7 labelling index and histological grade (P = 0.008) and patients' age at diagnosis (P < 0.001). Well-differentiated carcinomas and younger patients had a lower MCM7 index. Poor survival was observed in patients with endometrial carcinoma with a high MCM7 index (P = 0.03) and MCM7 was found to be an independent prognostic factor by multivariate analysis (P = 0.04). The Ki67 labelling index correlated with histological grade (P = 0.01) but had no significant prognostic impact (P = 0.50). Conclusions: In this TMA study on endometrial carcinoma, MCM7 was found to be a more reliable and useful marker than Ki67 in assessing tumour proliferation and in the prognosis of patients. © 2005 Blackwell Publishing Limited.