Diagnostic Accuracy of Cervical Low-Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions Is Improved With MIB-1 Immunostaining

Am J Surg Pathol. 2002 Jan;26(1):70-5. doi: 10.1097/00000478-200201000-00008.

Abstract

There is considerable interobserver variation in the diagnosis of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion that involves mature squamous epithelium. Our aim was to evaluate the utility of MIB-1 immunostaining as an adjunct test to increase diagnostic accuracy. Consecutive cervical biopsies originally diagnosed as normal (n = 26) or low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (n = 23) were reviewed by three pathologists to obtain a consensus diagnosis. MIB-1 immunostaining was performed, and positive staining was defined as a cluster of at least two stained nuclei in the upper two thirds of the epithelial thickness. Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA detection was performed using a polymerase chain reaction assay. All cases were subsequently reclassified as low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) or normal (NL) when two or three of three gold standard criteria were satisfied (LSIL gold standard criteria = consensus diagnosis of LSIL, HPV+, MIB-1+; NL gold standard criteria = consensus diagnosis of NL, HPV-, MIB-1-). Using the gold standard diagnoses, we have identified that 14 normal cases (36%) were originally overdiagnosed as LSIL, and one LSIL case (10%) was originally underdiagnosed as normal. All MIB-1-positive cases were HPV+ and identified as LSIL in the consensus review. All MIB-1-negative cases were NL by gold standard criteria. The sensitivity (1.0) and the specificity (1.0) of MIB-1 staining for identifying LSIL were superior to the sensitivity (0.9) and the specificity (0.8) of HPV testing. In conclusion, MIB-1 is a highly sensitive and specific marker for identifying low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion and is helpful in verifying the diagnosis of equivocal cases.

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, Nuclear
  • Biomarkers, Tumor*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Ki-67 Antigen
  • Nuclear Proteins*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / diagnosis*
  • Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / pathology
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / pathology

Substances

  • Antigens, Nuclear
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Ki-67 Antigen
  • Nuclear Proteins