Abstract

Assessment of the growth fraction of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas may provide useful additional prognostic information to that obtained with conventional histological criteria. The monoclonal antibody Ki-67 has been reported to provide such information immunocytochemically in tissue biopsy specimens from lymphoma as well as other tumours. This study was undertaken to assess whether this approach could be extended to fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy specimens which are becoming increasingly important in the diagnosis of lymphoma. In 21 cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma the rate of tumour proliferation estimated by Ki-67 immunostaining of FNA material, obtained from surgically removed specimens, was compared with that obtained on tissue biopsy. The correlation between both preparations was excellent, indicating that FNA biopsy material is suitable for the immunocytochemical assessment of the growth fraction of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.