Veterinary Pathology Online Prognostic Factors for Treated Canine Malignant Lymphoma
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Veterinary Pathology Online Prognostic Factors for Treated Canine Malignant Lymphoma
Veterinary Pathology Online http://vet.sagepub.com/ Prognostic Factors for Treated Canine Malignant Lymphoma M. Kiupel, E. Teske and D. Bostock Vet Pathol 1999 36: 292 DOI: 10.1354/vp.36-4-292 The online version of this article can be found at: http://vet.sagepub.com/content/36/4/292 Published by: http://www.sagepublications.com On behalf of: American College of Veterinary Pathologists, European College of Veterinary Pathologists, & the Japanese College of Veterinary Pathologists. Additional services and information for Veterinary Pathology Online can be found at: Email Alerts: http://vet.sagepub.com/cgi/alerts Subscriptions: http://vet.sagepub.com/subscriptions Reprints: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsReprints.nav Permissions: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav >> Version of Record - Jul 1, 1999 What is This? Downloaded from vet.sagepub.com by guest on September 9, 2014 Vet Pathol 36:292–300 (1999) Prognostic Factors for Treated Canine Malignant Lymphoma M. KIUPEL, E. TESKE, AND D. BOSTOCK Institut fu¨r Veterina¨r-Pathologie der Freien Universita¨t Berlin, Berlin, Germany (MK1); Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands (ET); and Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK (DB) Abstract. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic importance of different clinical, immunohistologic and tumorproliferation characteristics in dogs with malignant lymphoma treated with chemotherapy. From 74 dogs with malignant lymphoma at least one enlarged peripheral lymph node was taken for biopsy before chemotherapy following a standardized protocol (vincristine, cyclophosphamide, prednisolone, doxorubicin, and L-asparaginase). The variables evaluated as prognostic factors were age, sex, and tumor stage, as well as histomorphologic grade (Kiel classification, Working Formulation), immunophenotype (using markers for CD3 and CD79a), and cell proliferation (Ki-67, proliferation cell nuclear antigen, mitotic index, and argyrophil nucleolar organizer regions [AgNORs]) in extirpated lymph nodes. All markers were used on routinely formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues. The AgNORs were assessed qualitatively, based on the AgNOR pattern distribution, and quantitatively using image analysis and routine counting. In both univariate and multivariate survival analyses, AgNORs were a valuable prognostic marker for the treatment of canine malignant lymphomas. Based on the results of the multivariate analysis longer survival time correlated with a B-cell type, a larger mean AgNOR area, a larger total AgNOR area, a shorter distance between two AgNORs, and a smaller AgNOR area to nucleus ratio. Longer disease-free survival time correlated with a smaller number of AgNORs per nucleus, a larger mean AgNOR area, a larger maximal AgNOR area, and a larger total AgNOR area. This study clearly demonstrates the additional benefit of the use of AgNORs in predicting treatment outcome in dogs with malignant lymphoma. Key words: Argyrophil nucleolar organizer region; canine malignant lymphoma, immunophenotype; Ki-67 monoclonal antibody; prognostic factors; proliferation cell nuclear antigen. The behavior of canine malignant lymphomas is difficult to predict on the basis of histomorphology alone, but the vast majority of canine malignant lymphomas are high-grade malignant by most classifications.16,36,42 Histologic and immunologic classifications have been shown to have some prognostic significance.6 Some studies have applied the Kiel classification30 and the Working Formulation to canine malignant lymphomas.7,19,28,36,41 In one study the Kiel classification was found to be a prognostic factor for time to relapse in treated dogs with malignant lymphoma, whereas the Working Formulation was of prognostic significance for the survival time.41 In a previous study the Kiel classification was found to be of prognostic importance for overall survival time of treated and untreated dogs with malignant lymphoma.28 Only a few studies investigated the prognostic importance of the immunophenotype of canine malignant lymphomas1,41 and found a poor prognosis for the survival time and the disease-free survival time of dogs with T-cell lymphoma versus dogs with B-cell lymphoma.41 Nevertheless, 1 Present address: Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN. some differences occur within each of these groups with respect to presentation, clinical causes, and response to treatment and prognosis. Therefore, additional parameters are needed to predict treatment outcome. The role of proliferation activity has received special attention. The Ki-67 monoclonal antibody recognizes an antigen expressed in all phases of the cell cycle except G0.18 Ki-67 has been reported as an important prognostic marker in human non-Hodgkin’s lymphomasS24 however, to our knowledge no results of Ki-67 in canine malignant lymphomas have been published. The proliferation cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is synthesized during the G1-phase, is maximal during the S-phase, decreases during the G2-phase, and is minimal during the M-phase and the G0-phase.43 Prognostic significance of the PCNA count has been shown in canine mast cell tumors40 and canine mammary tumors,31 but not in canine malignant lymphomas.28,44 The disadvantages of these proliferation markers are that they only give an indication of the percentage of cells cycling, but no kinetics or dynamics can be derived from these proliferation marker labeling indices.4 The argyrophil nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) may give additional information. AgNORs are proteins 292 Downloaded from vet.sagepub.com by guest on September 9, 2014 Vet Pathol 36:4, 1999 Prognostic Factors for Canine Malignant Lymphomas associated with loops of DNA in the nucleoli in which ribosomal RNA transcription takes place. The amount of AgNORs not only relates to the percentage of cells cycling but is also increased when the cell cycle is faster. AgNORs are now widely used as a marker of proliferation in tumor pathology in humans9,14 and dogs2,40 and have been shown to be beneficial for the grading of canine malignant lymphomas27,44 and human non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas.12,25,45 The purpose of this study was to investigate the additional benefit of the use of the proliferation markers AgNOR, Ki-67, PCNA, and mitotic index, together with the immunohistologic classification of the tumor and the characteristics age, gender, and clinical tumor stage to predict survival in dogs with malignant lymphomas treated with chemotherapy. Materials and Methods Animals Specimens of lymph node biopsies were studied from a series of 74 dogs with multicentric malignant lymphoma. All dogs had enlarged lymph nodes and diagnosis of malignant lymphoma was based on histopathologic evaluation of at least one enlarged lymph node. Twenty-seven dogs were cases referred to the Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, over a period of 4 years. Forty-seven lymphomas were collected during a period of 5 years in the Clinic for Companion Animals of the University of Utrecht. No dog had received any form of cytostatic therapy at the time of the biopsy. Treatment Following clinical evaluation, staging, and biopsy all dogs were treated with chemotherapy. The 27 dogs from Cambridge were treated with vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and prednisolone8 and the 47 dogs from Utrecht received a more advanced protocol, consisting of doxorubicin, L-asparaginase, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and prednisolone.32,41 Survival data Disappearance of all measurable tumor was considered to be a complete response and only in these dogs the diseasefree survival was calculated as the time from the initial diagnosis until relapse or the date on which the dog was last known to be free of disease, counting only relapses as events. Overall survival was calculated as the time from initial diagnosis to death or to the date on which the dog was last known to be alive, including all dogs, and counting only deaths due to lymphoma as events. Staging A hematologic profile, bone marrow aspirates, and radiographs of the abdomen and thorax were taken from 54 dogs for staging purposes. Staging was based on the modified World Health Organization staging system for canine malignant lymphomas.35 293 Biopsy material Tissues were fixed in 10% formol–saline and routinely embedded in paraffin wax. Three-micrometer serial sections were stained by hematoxylin and eosin, as well as Giemsa, for histologic evaluation and estimation of the mitotic index. Following the diagnosis of malignant lymphoma, histomorphologic grading of the tumor was performed in all 74 dogs using both the Kiel classification29 and the Working Formulation (National Cancer Institut).34 Immunophenotype For immunophenotyping CD3 was used for T-cell labeling and CD79a was used for B-cell labeling. Sections of lymph nodes from all 74 dogs were incubated in a 10-mM HCl/ citrate buffer (pH 6.0) and heated in a microwave oven (600 W) for 10 minutes following 20 minutes acclimatization at room temperature. The slides were then transferred to 100% alcohol and immersed in methanol containing 1.0% hydrogen peroxide for 30 minutes to block endogenous peroxidase activity. After washing with distilled water and phosphatebuffered saline (PBS) with a pH of 7.6, nonspecific antibody binding was blocked by means of normal goat serum for CD3 or normal equine serum for CD79a for 15 minutes. Immunostaining was performed by incubation in rabbit antiCD3 (DAKO, High Wycombe, UK) or mouse anti-CD79a (DAKO) antibody at a dilution of 1 : 600 in 10% normal goat or equine serum for 60 minutes. The antibody binding was localized with the Vector ABC Elite kit (Vectastain PK6102, Vector Laboratories, Peterborough, UK) and visualized with 3,3⬘-diaminobenzidine substrate (Vector SK4100). After a final washing in distilled, deionized water, the sections were counterstained with Mayer’s hematoxylin, then dehydrated, cleared, and mounted in DPX (BDH, UK). Canine lymphoid tissue was used as a positive control. The immunophenotype was assigned to an investigated canine malignant lymphoma based on the majority and distribution of cells positive for CD3 or CD79a. PCNA For PCNA immunostaining, sections of lymph nodes from all 74 dogs were processed as previously described.28 Human tonsillar tissue was used as a positive control. Evaluation of the percentage of PCNA-positive cells was performed by counting the number of cells with intensely positively stained nuclei per 100 randomly selected cells as described by Kiupel et al.28 No difference was found in the evaluation of the percentage of PCNA-positive cells when counting 100, 200, or 300 cells. Ki-67 For Ki-67 immunostaining, sections of lymph nodes from all 74 dogs were incubated in a 10 mM HCl/citrate buffer (pH 6.0) and cooked in a microwave oven (600 W) for 25 minutes following overnight acclimatization in room temperature. The slides were then transferred to 100% alcohol and immersed in methanol containing 1.0% hydrogen peroxide for 30 minutes to block endogenous peroxidase activity. After washing with distilled water and PBS with a pH of 7.6, nonspecific antibody binding was blocked by means Downloaded from vet.sagepub.com by guest on September 9, 2014 294 Kiupel, Teske, and Bostock of normal equine serum for 15 minutes. Immunostaining was performed by incubation in mouse anti-MIB-1 antibody (Immunotech S.A., Marseille, France) at a dilution of 1 : 200 in 10% normal equine serum for 60 minutes. The antibody binding was localized with the Vector ABC Elite kit (Vector PK4000) and visualized with 3,3⬘-diaminobenzidine substrate (Vector SK4100). After a final washing in distilled, deionized water, the sections were counterstained with Mayer’s hematoxylin, then dehydrated, cleared, and mounted in DPX (BDH). Equine lymphoid tissue was used as a positive control. The percentage of Ki-67-positive cells was determined by counting the number of Ki-67-positive cells per 100 randomly selected cells. Necrotic areas were excluded as well as histiocytes, plasma cells, or other inflammatory cells. No difference was found in the evaluation of the percentage of Ki-67-positive cells when counting 100, 200, or 300 cells. AgNORs Following the diagnosis of malignant lymphoma, sections were stained for AgNORs with a one-step silver colloid method, as described by Ploton et al.,37 using a previously published protocol.27 Evaluation of AgNORs was performed quantitatively and qualitatively. The mean AgNOR number (NORNBC), the mean AgNOR area (MEANAR), the maximal AgNOR area (MAXNOR), the total AgNOR area (S㛮AREA), the ratio between the total AgNOR area and the nucleus (ARRAT), the ratio between the mean AgNOR area and the nucleus (SIZERAT), the number of AgNORs located centrally in the nucleus (CENTER), the number of AgNORs located peripherally in the nucleus (BORDER), the position of AgNORs between the point of balance and the nuclear membrane (LOCAT), the mean distance between two AgNORs (MDIST), and the maximal distance between two AgNORs (MAXDIST) were determined on 100 neoplastic cells using image analysis.22 AgNOR pattern distribution was evaluated based on previous studies by Field et al.,17 Crocker et al.,10 Hansen and Ostergard,21 Ru¨schoff et al.,39 and our own investigations.27 We described five different types of AgNOR pattern distribution. Depending on the majority of cells expressing a similar pattern distribution, a grade was assigned to each malignant lymphoma.27 Statistics Statistical analysis of data was performed using the SPSS and EGRET statistical packages. Survival curves were drawn with the Kaplan–Meier method. Univariate tests for comparison of groups of survival data were made with the log-rank test and with a proportional hazard logistic regression model. Those parameters with P values less than 0.3 in the univariate analysis were included in a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model regression analysis with a forward step selection. In all analyses stratification on clinic center was performed. A value of P ⬍ 0.05 was considered significant. Results Of the 74 dogs treated with chemotherapy, 48 dogs responded completely and only in these dogs disease- Vet Pathol 36:4, 1999 free survival could be calculated. Clinical tumor stage was only determined in 54 dogs and for one of these dogs no immunophenotype could be determined. Because stage and immunophenotype were included in the multivariate analyses for overall survival, these statistics were only performed in 53 dogs. Age, weight, sex, and clinical stage had no prognostic significance for the overall survival time and disease-free survival time of chemotherapeutically treated dogs with malignant lymphoma. Histomorphology was also found to be an unreliable criterion for the prognostic evaluation of canine malignant lymphomas. Only immunophenotype and proliferation markers were significant for predicting overall survival time and disease-free survival time. In the univariate analysis, AgNOR area parameters (mean AgNOR area: P ⫽ 0.001, maximal AgNOR area: P ⫽ 0.002) and the mean AgNOR number (P ⫽ 0.001) were of prognostic significance for the diseasefree survival time (Table 1). The AgNOR type was only significant between groups of dogs with lymphomas of type 1 and 4 (P ⫽ 0.012) and the mitotic index was only significant for groups of dogs with malignant lymphomas with a value between 9 and 12 (P ⫽ 0.02). For the overall survival time the following parameters were of prognostic significance in the univariate analysis: PCNA (P ⫽ 0.009) and mitotic index (P ⫽ 0.028), as well as AgNOR area parameters (mean AgNOR area: P ⫽ 0.001, maximal AgNOR area: P ⫽ 0.001), mean AgNOR number (P ⫽ 0.001), AgNOR location (P ⫽ 0.019), and AgNOR type (P ⫽ 0.008). Ki-67 was only significant between groups of dogs with lymphomas with less than 20% Ki-67-positive cells and with 40–60% Ki-67-positive cells. All other investigated parameters were of no prognostic significance in the univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, AgNOR area parameters (mean AgNOR area: P ⫽ 0.001, total AgNOR area: P ⫽ 0.001, maximal AgNOR area: P ⫽ 0.01) and the mean AgNOR number (P ⫽ 0.001) were of prognostic significance for disease-free survival (Table 2). The immunophenotype (P ⫽ 0.027), AgNOR area parameters (mean AgNOR area: P ⫽ 0.001, total AgNOR area: P ⫽ 0.003), and AgNOR location parameters (ratio AgNOR area : nucleus: P ⫽ 0.008, maximal AgNOR distance: P ⫽ 0.009) were of prognostic significance for overall survival time (Table 3). All other investigated parameters were of no prognostic significance in the multivariate analysis. The disease-free survival time correlated strongly with the different groups of mean AgNOR numbers. This correlation is shown for all three groups of dogs with malignant lymphoma based on the mean AgNOR number in Fig. 1. The overall survival time correlated strongly with the different groups of mean AgNOR areas. This Downloaded from vet.sagepub.com by guest on September 9, 2014 Prognostic Factors for Canine Malignant Lymphomas Vet Pathol 36:4, 1999 correlation is shown for all three groups of dogs with malignant lymphoma based on the mean AgNOR area in Fig. 2. Discussion The use of antibodies for the assessment of cell proliferation and immunophenotyping has been limited, because many are suitable on frozen sections only. However, new markers have become available (MIB1, CD79a) and antigen retrieval with the microwave oven allows the application of these markers to routinely processed paraffin sections. In this study we were able to evaluate a whole panel of different prognostic markers in canine malignant lymphomas on routinely processed material. AgNORs are a valuable prognostic marker for the treatment of canine malignant lymphomas. Based on the results of the multivariate analysis, longer diseasefree survival time correlated with a smaller number of AgNORs per nucleus, a larger mean AgNOR area, a larger maximal AgNOR area, and a larger total AgNOR area. Longer overall survival time correlated with a B-cell type, a larger mean AgNOR area, a larger total AgNOR area, a shorter distance between two AgNORs, and a smaller AgNOR area to nucleus ratio. In the univariate analysis mitotic index, PCNA count, and AgNOR type were of prognostic significance for the overall survival. However, in the multivariate analysis this could not be confirmed. AgNOR numbers in canine malignant lymphomas have only been evaluated in two other studies.28,44 In both studies the mean AgNOR number was a significant prognostic parameter for the overall survival time. However, no multivariate survival analysis was performed in these studies. Studies of proliferation activity using multiple different markers, including AgNORs, are rare in dogs and were performed by Simoes et al.40 in mast cell tumors, by Loehr et al.31 in canine mammary tumors, and by Vail et al.44 and Kiupel et al.28 in canine malignant lymphomas. For mast cell tumors and canine mammary tumors PCNA was suggested as a useful prognostic marker. In canine malignant lymphomas AgNOR frequency was superior to PCNA in predicting outcome after therapy. AgNORs have the advantage that they are only increased in actively dividing cells,5 whereas anti-PCNA simply labels proliferating cells in the S-phase of the cell cycle and cells going through DNA repair.4 In addition, high PCNA counts might be the result of false positive cells due to the long half-life of PCNA.3 Ki-67, which labels cycling cells, was of prognostic significance for canine mammary tumors in one study.31 In our investigations Ki-67 was found to be of no prognostic value. A high mitotic index indicated higher malignancy and a poor prognosis in this study. However, the number of dogs 295 with lymphomas with a high mitotic index is small and therefore the practical application of the mitotic index for prognostic purposes is limited. Most proliferation markers only give an indication of the proportion of cells cycling but not of the speed of proliferation. In a tumor 80% of cells could be cycling, but the cell cycle could last 1 month. Compared to a tumor with only 25% cells cycling, but with a cell cycle length of 2 days, the later would of course be more aggressive. The majority of canine malignant lymphomas, as in this study, are of high grade and the percentage of cycling cells is high in most canine malignant lymphomas. This may explain that the assessment of the growth fraction by Ki-67 was less useful in identifying prognostic differences. Furthermore, the ratio of cells undergoing apoptosis plays an important role in assessing proliferation activity and no investigations to measure the ratio of apoptosis were conducted in this study. Mitotic index and PCNA represent the phase-index and their measurement is not only difficult to standardize, but the phase-index would only be useful to identify correlations between karyologic abnormalities and survival. In contrast, an increased speed of cell proliferation indicates a high metabolic activity and probably correlates with the rate of tumor cell infiltration and metastasis. AGNORs are the only parameter available on formalin-fixed tissue to measure proliferation speed and should therefore be considered the most important proliferation marker in canine malignant lymphomas. AgNORs have been characterized as the most powerful tool for the prognostic evaluation of human nonHodgkin’s lymphomas.12,20,23 The total number of AgNORs per nucleus is a parameter of proliferation13,15,38 and the mean number of AgNORs per nucleus is correlated with tumor grade and survival times in human non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.11 Even though different studies varied greatly in the estimated mean AgNOR number, increasing malignancy was always correlated to an increased mean AgNOR number per nucleus.11,20,26,45 The major problems of using AgNOR counts are the diversity of parameters and their interpretation and dependence of the staining protocol on external conditions (fixation, temperature, staining time), which makes a standardized AgNOR protocol difficult to achieve.33 The use of image analysis38 for the investigation of AgNOR parameters has to be considered as state of art to avoid methodical errors. We are not aware of complex image analysis studies of AgNORs in canine tumors and specifically malignant lymphomas. Further investigations are being carried out on the value of AgNOR cluster formation and pattern distribution in prognosis.39 These parameters are less susceptible to variation than individual AgNOR counts Downloaded from vet.sagepub.com by guest on September 9, 2014 296 Kiupel, Teske, and Bostock Vet Pathol 36:4, 1999 Table 1. Results of univariate analysis of factors predicting recurrence after complete remission (using disease-free survival time) and death (using overall survival time) in canine malignant lymphoma, stratified to institution. Characteristics are defined in the text. Disease-Free Survival Time (n ⫽ 48) Patient’s Characteristic P Value Age 0.079 Weight (kg) 0–20 21–30 31–40 ⬎40 0.733 Sex Female Male Hazard Ratio P Value 0.8872 0.165 Hazard Ratio 0.9249 0.549 0.522 0.791 0.911 0.6856 1.155 0.9375 0.212 0.801 0.554 0.5316 0.9015 0.7593 0.436 0.7269 0.116 0.6409 Stage Stage II ⫹ III Stave IV Stage V 0.435 Kiel classificiation Low malignant High malignant 0.198 0.483 0.582 0.217 Working Formulation Low grade Medium grade High grade 0.269 Immunophenotype B-cell lymphomas T-cell lymphomas 0.932 0.311 0.077 0.932 MITOSE 0–9 10–12 ⬎12 0.137 PCNA 0–20 21–40 40–60 ⬎60 0.226 Ki-67 0–20 21–40 41–60 ⬎60 0.207 TYPE 1 2 3 4 5 0.118 NORNBC 0–3.00 3.01–6.00 ⬎6.00 Overall Survival Time (n ⫽ 74) 0.390 0.020 0.436 0.14 0.059 0.704 0.158 0.087 0.889 0.320 0.012 0.082 0.076 0.7235 1.266 0.6928 1.675 0.408 1.767 0.415 1.288 0.504 1.990 9.466 0.320 0.362 1.518 2.130 0.229 1.032 0.239 0.6987 0.028 1.597 17.36 0.287 0.005 1.670 6.380 0.009 1.470 2.124 2.875 0.457 0.033 0.003 1.368 2.506 3.890 0.078 1.240 2.134 2.670 0.439 0.024 0.131 1.405 2.676 2.107 0.008 1.098 1.762 28.28 3.063 ⬍0.001 0.399 0.008 0.417 0.154 0.668 0.147 0.007 0.007 1.249 1.968 10.68 3.889 ⬍0.001 1.772 6.647 Downloaded from vet.sagepub.com by guest on September 9, 2014 0.182 ⬍0.001 1.877 9.340 Vet Pathol 36:4, 1999 Prognostic Factors for Canine Malignant Lymphomas Table 1. Continued. Disease-Free Survival Time (n ⫽ 48) Patient’s Characteristic P Value S㛮AREA 0–2.0000 2.0001–3.0000 3.0001–4.0000 4.0001–5.0000 ⬎5.0000 0.075 MEANAR 0–0.5000 0.5001–1.0000 ⬎1.0000 ⬍0.001 MAXNOR 0–1.0000 1.0001–1.5000 1.5001–2.0000 ⬎2.0000 0.002 ARRAT 0–110 ⬎110 0.138 SIZERAT 0–10 11–20 21–30 ⬎30 0.959 CENTER 0–0.40 0.41–0.60 0.61–0.80 ⬎0.80 0.490 BORDER 0–0.75 0.76–1.50 1.51–2.25 ⬎2.25 0.217 LOCAT 0–0.475 0.476–0.550 ⬎0.550 0.210 MAXDIST 0–0.425 0.426–0.500 0.501–0.575 ⬎0.575 0.302 MDIST 0–0.325 0.326–0.375 0.376–0.425 ⬎0.425 0.458 0.793 0.586 0.658 0.177 0.014 ⬍0.001 0.574 0.004 0.003 0.153 0.731 0.733 0.913 0.551 0.917 0.452 0.069 0.222 0.103 0.708 0.126 0.155 0.093 0.149 0.207 0.373 0.147 297 Hazard Ratio Overall Survival Time (n ⫽ 74) P Value Hazard Ratio 0.074 1.240 1.564 1.438 0.175 0.189 0.349 0.471 0.321 1.987 1.632 1.583 0.4579 ⬍0.001 0.2647 0.0760 0.022 ⬍0.001 0.4060 0.0314 ⬍0.001 0.7783 0.1797 0.1360 0.095 ⬍0.001 ⬍0.001 0.5625 0.1784 0.1161 0.103 5.849 0.096 2.415 0.271 1.152 0.8070 0.8650 0.244 0.49 0.322 1.455 0.6879 0.5164 0.437 0.6546 1.084 0.5163 0.273 0.812 0.271 0.5937 0.8822 0.5180 0.327 2.666 1.891 2.776 0.156 0.128 0.191 1.750 1.707 2.031 0.019 1.278 2.209 0.289 0.017 1.713 3.017 0.224 2.718 3.068 2.743 0.135 0.056 0.139 2.108 2.506 2.140 0.453 2.085 1.741 3.785 Downloaded from vet.sagepub.com by guest on September 9, 2014 0.194 0.297 0.164 1.886 1.690 2.730 298 Kiupel, Teske, and Bostock Table 2. Results of multivariate analysis of factors predicting recurrence after achieving complete remission with chemotherapy in dogs with malignant lymphoma. Characteristics are defined in the text. Disease-Free Survival Time (n ⫽ 48) Patient’s Characteristic NORNBC 0–3.00 3.01–6.00 ⬎6.00 P Value 0.001 0.002 ⬍0.001 S㛮AREA 0–2.0000 2.0001–3.0000 3.0001–4.0000 4.0001–5.0000 ⬎5.0000 ⬍0.001 MEANAR 0–0.5000 0.5001–1.0000 ⬎1.0000 0.003 MAXNOR 0–1.0000 1.0001–1.5000 1.5001–2.0000 ⬎2.0000 Hazard Ratio 0.002 0.070 0.521 0.001 ⬍0.001 0.588 26.09 63.80 0.0363 0.1699 0.5246 0.0030 Table 3. Results of multivariate analysis of factors predicting death in dogs treated with chemotherapy for malignant lymphoma. Characteristics are defined in the text. Survival Time (n ⫽ 53) Patient’s Characteristic P Value Immunophenotype B-cell lymphoma T-cell lymphoma 0.027 S㛮AREA 0–2.0000 2.0001–3.0000 3.0001–4.0000 4.0001–5.0000 ⬎5.0000 0.003 MEANAR 0–0.5000 0.5001–1.0000 ⬎1.0000 ⬍0.001 0.027 0.121 0.382 0.383 0.016 ⬍0.001 ⬍0.001 0.0725 0.5192 ARRAT 0–110 ⬎110 0.008 0.009 2.456 0.0569 0.3414 MAXDIST 0–0.425 0.426–0.500 0.501–0.575 ⬎0.575 0.010 0.156 0.027 0.397 Vet Pathol 36:4, 1999 * P ⬍ 0.001. 0.008 ⬍0.001 0.005 0.039 Hazard Ratio 2.997 0.1994 0.4430 2.513 0.0414 0.1053 0.0058 37.45 13.16 10.64 6.278 * P ⫽ 0.026. and should therefore be more reproducible. In a previous study27 the AgNOR type was suggested as an important prognostic marker for untreated dogs with malignant lymphoma. These results were confirmed for treated dogs by the univariate analysis; however, the results could not be confirmed in the multivariate analysis. The smaller number of cases in the multivariate analysis and different response to chemotherapy may explain this difference. Immunophenotype was an important prognostic marker for the overall survival time of dogs with malignant lymphoma in this study. This result confirms previous studies by Teske et al.41,42 However, in these studies clinical stage and immunophenotype were found to be prognostic factors for predicting the overall survival time and the disease-free survival time.41 Also, the Working Formulation had prognostic value for predicting overall survival time in Teske et al. studies.41 Neither clinical stage nor histomorphology (Kiel classification, Working Formulation) were found to be of prognostic significance in the data presented here, and the immunophenotype was also not prognostically significant for the disease-free survival time in this study. Different treatment protocols and individual differences in determining the clinical stage (results from two different institutions were pooled) may be a major factor to explain these contrary results. In conclusion, this study clearly demonstrates the benefit of AgNORs in predicting treatment outcome in dogs with malignant lymphoma. In addition, it was demonstrated that not only the number of AgNORs is Fig. 1. Baseline disease-free survival curves for dogs with malignant lymphoma with different mean AgNOR numbers. Downloaded from vet.sagepub.com by guest on September 9, 2014 Prognostic Factors for Canine Malignant Lymphomas Vet Pathol 36:4, 1999 Fig. 2. Baseline overall survival curves for dogs with malignant lymphoma with different mean AgNOR areas. of importance, but also AgNOR area parameters such as the mean AgNOR area. This underlines the importance of using image analysis for the evaluation of AgNORs. Furthermore qualitative characteristics of AgNORs such as AgNOR type may provide a simple tool for the prognostic evaluation of canine malignant lymphomas in routine laboratories. Acknowledgements Jane Dobson, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, UK; Jane Oates and John Crocker, Pathology Department, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, UK; and Dr. Peter Hufnagel, Institut fu¨r Pathologie, Charite´ Berlin, Germany, are gratefully acknowledged for their assistance. References 1 Appelbaum FR, Sale GE, Storb R, Charrier K, Deeg HJ, Graham TC, Wulff JC: Phenotyping of canine lymphoma with monoclonal antibodies directed at cell surface antigens: classification, morphology, clinical presentation and response to chemotherapy. Haematol Oncol 2:151– 167, 1984 2 Bostock DE, Crocker J, Harris K, Smith P: Nucleolar organizer regions as indicators of post-surgical prognosis in canine spontaneous mast cell tumours. 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