Proliferative potential of human meningiomas of the brain: A cell kinetics study with bromodeoxyuridine

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Abstract
Twenty patients with intracranial meningiomas were given a 1‐hour intravenous infusion of bromodeox‐yuridine (BrdU), 200 mg/m2, at the time of surgery to label tumor cells in the DNA synthesis phase (S phase). The excised tumor specimens were fixed with 70% ethanol, embedded in paraffin, sectioned, and stained by an indirect immunoperoxidase method using anti‐BrdU monoclonal antibody as the first antibody. The BrdU labeling index (LI), or S‐phase fraction, was determined by counting the number of BrdU‐labeled cells in the tissue sections. The average LIs for nonmalignant (11 cases) and histologically malignant meningiomas (seven cases) were 0.45% and 3.9% respectively (P < 0.05). Two hemangiopericytic variants showed average LIs of 0.53% and 4.1%. Four of seven malignant meningiomas and both heman‐giopericytomas were recurrent tumors. Nine of 20 meningiomas had an LI greater than 1%, and six of those nine (67%) were recurrent. Thus, meningiomas with an LI greater than 1% appear to grow faster and recur more frequently than those with LIs less than 1%; the higher LI may indicate biological malignancy. The measurement of BrdU LI in meningioma may prove valuable in establishing the diagnosis of “malignant meningioma”.