Ki-67

scaredycatwoman

Anyone know what that Ki-67 test is all about--what it predicts in terms of cancer staging...Thanks

Omaz

Hi Scardycatwoman - Here is a link to information here on BCO about the Ki-67.  LINK  I think basically it tells you what proportion of cells from the tumor look like they are actively dividing.  Here is some information about staging as well

mebmarj

If you put the key words ki67 in the search box for he main BCO site, a definition comes up. Has to do with how fast the cells are dividing.

Best wishes to you.

Janie-bug

The lower your Ki67 score the less aggressive the cancer. At least thats what My BS told me

Sassa

My Ki-67 was 70%.  That number had no effect on my stage (Stage 1) but it did let the oncologist know that chemo would be very effective for me.

Later testing showed that my tumor was strongly HER2+ and accounted for the high KI-67.

teeballmom

I just found out my Ki-67 is 54% and my ONC said she personally had never seen a number that high before.  My BS said he was fascinated, perplexed a little and asked if he could do a case study on me.  I said sure (why not, right), but I almost felt like giggling because all I could picture was myself as a mouse inside of one of those little mazes.

Both the BS and the ONC said I am a fantastic candidate for chemo.

eric95us

My wife's Ki-67 is 97%. The oncologist didn't comment about it.



Eric

jen70

Does anyone know how or if ki-67 correlates to oncotype score? Does a high ki-67 indicate that the oncotype score will be high as well? I'm waiting on my oncotype score and having a hard time find good info on this question. My ki-67 was high at 37%.

mary71145329

Jen,

    It's my understanding that the ki67 is part of the formula in determining the oncotype score. I'm waiting on my score also. In fact, my appointment with the MO was moved from tomorrow to next Tuesday since the results aren't in yet. Grrrr...hate the waiting game! Our stats look very similar though my ki67 was 35%.

jen70

Thanks Mary, Let me know how your appointment goes.  I don't see my MO until the 11th.  Hope you get good results!

mary71145329

I'm hoping that my nurse navigator will call me with the result in the next few days. She seemed to sympathize with my frustration!

I'll let you know and you let me know :0)

Good luck!

mary71145329

Jen70,

Oncotype score is in......16 for me and no chemo. Hope yours is low as well :0)

jen70

Yeah Mary! So glad for you! I'll find out next Friday. Fingers crossed.

Deborah2012

Hi Jen70,

My Ki-67 was 7%, my OncotypeDX was 21, and my Grade was 3.

Here's what I was told.  My Grade 3 likely had more to do with my OncotypeDX being > 18- not my Ki-67.  Neither my first nor second Onc opinion thought the chemo benefits would be worth the trade-off.  Both said AIs, no chemo, and no Rads.  I'm post-menopausal. See DX below.

I was told the Ki-67 was the "proliferation rate" of the cancer cells.  It can be inverse to the Grade. as in my case- a low Ki-67 coupled with a high Grade (3) tumor.  Ki-67 is a "snap-shot".

I think the OncotypeDX score will "supersede" the Ki-67 results.  However, if one is in the low intermediate on the OncotypeDX (such as myself), a low Ki-67 score may be a factor (coupled with other patient specific characteristics) in avoiding chemo. 

Good luck to you.

Deborah2012

jen70

Well, I didn't get a score! They did not have enough tissue to perform the test. My doctor is not recommending chemo based on the small size of the tumor, as well as all of the other pathology. I'm starting to be happy about not having chemo, but I was soo upset at not having that score. I had a hard time explaining to my husband why it bothered me so much, and I think my doctor was confused by my reaction too. My goal all along has been to be aggressive so that I could feel like I did everything possible to avoid a recurrence. Not having that test result just gives me another question mark.



I'm just going to have to come to grips with it and move on. I start tamoxifen tomorrow. I'm also going to finally make an appointment to get my hair done - it's been a while.

kira1234

What an interesting thread. My onco score was 24. My ki-67 was 13 and my grade was 1. My BS and Onc. were very surprised. The only thing I can think of is the Onco score said I was pr- while the path report had me being pr+37%. My Onc. didn't seem concerened at the difference the Oncotype people got. He still has me listed as pr+ on his paper work.

jenlee

My Ki-67 was 70%.  It REALLY scared me.  Sometimes they don't bother doing oncotype scores with higher Ki-67 numbers, since it is known that high Ki-67 cells respond well to chemo.

So having just finished chemo, my 4 cm tumor shrunk to 7 mm.  So while it certainly wasn't a perfect sphere, I describe it as shrinking from about the size of a golf ball to a pea.

Here's another thread pertaining to higher KI-67 scores:   

http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/23/topic/783526?page=1#idx_28 

ali68

My ki-67 is 80% scared me half to death

Anonymous

I'm not sure I've ever heard my onc talk about Ki-67.  My onco score was 11 though, with a tumor that was all grades from 1-3.  Would the Ki score be a part of the oncotype?  I go end of this week so I can ask, I guess. 

Ali68:  Been to UK twice & have relatives in Cornwall....

shelly

ck55

I never got a Ki67 score? Is the mitotic rate related to the Ki 67 score. My mitotic score was 1, so can I assume if they had done a Ki 67 that it would have been low?

 Cyndi

ali68

You get your ki-67 from when you had your biopsy of your breast lump in the beginning.

bluepearl

Ki67 is part of the oncotype test. Ki67 and mitotic count are parallel markers for cell proliferation so it is a relatively safe assumption that a mitotic rate of 1 would mark a low Ki67. I might add that mitotic rate is the most important of the three (nuclear and tubular the other two) being a very good prognositic factor on its own, at least according to journals in pubmed.com. High Ki67 scores DO respond especially well to chemo. whereas low scores can show up way down the pike....go figure! One's grade is dependent on THREE scores, anyone of which can add up to make a grade 2 or grade 3, but it's the mitotic score you want to see as a one. Additionally, it has just been released that scientists have discovered 40 genes that can intiate breast cancer which is why there are so many different response rates to different therapies!!! To me, it makes cancer a genetic disease, that is, certain factors like environment, diet, habits etc. only come into play if you are VULNERABLE to cancerous genetic changes. That's why some people can smoke and never get lung cancer while others do.

HealingDreams

Very useful thread. Thank you, scaredycatwoman. I didn't know what the Ki-67 signified until reading the posts.

I am post-surgery but haven't yet met with the medical oncologist or radiologist.

I've been trying to figure out what will come next. It sounds like the medical oncologist might recommend the OncotypeDX. Is this standard procedure? My Ki-67 is low at 5%.

bluepearl

Ki67 is very low. All of your tumor profile is excellent prognosis. You can expect a low OncotypeDX....mine was less that 10% and doctor said need not bother with the Oncotype test (my mitotic score was 1 but they are related). 

amjoesph

My Ki67 is 20% and I am 63 years old.  Is it good or bad. I am really scared to death.  I was asked to take chemo treatment.  But, when the doc. said about chemo effects, i am really scared.  Do I have a chance without chemo?

Omaz

Hi amjoesph - The ki-67 is just one part of the pathology report.  I am sorry that you have to deal with this.  You have found a great resource here at BCO.  The ladies in the different forums are so supportive and are a wealth of information.  Here is a link to more information here at BCO that may help with the pathology terms    LINK

brandicr273

I've got the same ?? My oncotype came back@12 which is awesome! My grade was 2,my ki-67 score was 59%. Oncologist retested my ki-67, he said that wasn't possible& ki-67 came back@70%. So I'm very confused also. I've had a bilateral masectomy,0/5 node neg.& I've started hormone therapy,I'm on tamoxifen 20mg a day& zoladex implant every 28days. I'm just hoping I'm doing the right treatment...... thank u all!! :-) p.s. I'm 36 & the zoladex is pose to put me into a medically indused menopause. So we'll see how it goes, I didn't tolerate the tamoxifen@all! Severe allergic reaction,but that's just me I'm not trying to scare any1 away from it. :-)

doxie

brandicr273, The % of ER and PR + may in part explain the high oncotype score w high Ki-67.  Were both yours near 100%?  If not, I'd ask for some retesting and a 2nd opinion.  

EmmaL

when i was told triple negative. i asked the doc what makes my tumor grows so fast and aggresive if i dont have many h receptors to stimulate their growing.

he did quote my ki67 - 70% as a reason. from my understanding of his explaining, ususally the speed of cell dividing is different from one another and it doesnt matter whether it is low or high with regard to the normal cells. but when it comes to a 'evil' cell it tells another story. 5% is a benchmark not worring but mine is 70%. and he did mention it means i will repond well to the chemo as well.

i dont know the ''onco score'. maybe because our systems use different ways indicating our cancer situation.

hope it helps. good luck to all of us!

txmomof2

My ki-67 was 1% and my oncotype was 5%.  Because I was multifocal, my MO was on the fence on whether to do chemo or not, even with those scores!  She ended up getting a 2nd opinion (as did I) and they tested my other tumors for the ki-67 and all came back at 1% so no chemo was needed for me.  As a side note, it's funny to me, I had asked her why they don't just test all tumors to begin with and she said it's because it's so expensive.  But, when another MO suggested it, it was done.  Hhmmm.

carjeanne3

The ki-67 is the proliferation rate or how rapidly the cells are dividing and forming new cells. It does not determine staging. Staging is due to size of tumor and if it has spread to lymph nodes or into tier organs. My stage is 1 my ki-67 is 97% and it is high grade 3 . Together it forms a picture of what type of cells as far as aggressive and what treatments will be needed.