Ki67
Definition
Ki67 is a molecule that can be easily detected in growing cells in order to gain an understanding of the rate at which the cells within a tumor are growing.
Purpose
Detection of Ki67 is carried out on biopsies, samples of tumor tissue. The goal of this assay is to evaluate an important characteristic of the cells within the tumor, the percentage of tumor cells that are actively dividing and giving rise to more cancer cells. The number obtained through this examination is termed the S-phase, growth, or proliferative fraction. This information can play an important part in deciding the best treatment for a cancer patient.
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