Background: Astrocytoma is common primary malignant brain tumors which arise from immortalized astrocytes. In astrocytoma microglia density is higher than in normal brain, and microglia increase in number according to the grade of malignancyIntense CD68 staining was marginally significant prognosticator for shorter survival.Since proliferative activity is a reliable method to assess tumour biology. Ki-67/MIB-1 has proven to be of prognostic and diagnostic power in astrocytic tumours and shown to correlate with tumour grade.
Aim: This study was conducted to detect immunohistochemical expression of CD-68 and Ki-67 in astrocytoma and assessing their relation to proliferative activity and prognosis of such tumors.
Methods: Thirty representative cases; 30 cases of astrocytoma examined immunohistochemically using antibodies against CD-68 and Ki-67.
Results: CD-68 was positive in 73.3% of astrocytoma cases and it was negative in 26.7%. LowKi-67LI was found in low grade astrocytoma and high Ki-67 LI was found in high grade astrocytoma.
Conclusion: CD-68 and Ki-67 were the most useful IHC markers in the discrimination of different grades of astrocytoma and predict proliferative activity and prognosis of such tumors.