A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree
of Master’s in Life Sciences of the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science
and Technology
Ki-67, p53, and BCL-2 are now emerging as markers for classifying breast cancer, guiding
therapy and predicting treatment responses and prognosis. Restricted data currently exist on
these molecular markers in Tanzania; hence, we assessed the expressions of Ki-67, p53, and
BCL-2 and associated them with clinical histopathological features in breast cancer patients
attending Muhimbili referral hospital in Tanzania. This retrospective cross-sectional hospitalbased
study was carried out between 2016 and 2017. For this research, only women were
chosen with proven breast cancer, complete clinical history and accessible paraffin block
samples. Tissue samples were immunohistochemically stained for Ki-67, p53, and BCL-2,
with respect to their specific Monoclonal Mouse Anti-Human. The relationship between Ki67,
p53
and
BCL-2
expressions
and
clinical
histopathological
features
was
determined
using
a
multinomial
linear
regression
model.
Only
76
cases
met
the
inclusion
criteria
for
this
study,
with
a mean age of 51.32 ±14.28 years. Of these, 86.4% were stage III and IV, whereas
83.5% cases had grade 2 and grade 3. Upon immunostaining, 85.5% and 57.9% were Ki-67
and BCL-2 positive, respectively. Log-linear analysis showed no statistically significant
association among biomarkers expression and CH features. However, multinomial linear
regression showed higher possibility for association between Ki-67+, p53- and BCL-2+ with
age, grade, stage and tumor (T) stage. BCL-2 was positively correlated with Ki-67 expression
contrary to p53, which was negatively correlated with BCL-2. Conclusively, there is
evidence of correlation between the studied markers with CH features making these markers
potential tools for evaluating treatment response in individualized therapeutic schemes.