Proliferative activity of human uterine leiomyoma cells as measured by automatic image analysis

Proliferative activity of uterine leiomyomas from premenopausal (n = 44) and postmenopausal (n = 12) women was investigated by automatic image analysis on frozen tissue sections using immunohistochemistry with anti-proliferating cell nuclear antigen antibody. The quantitative proliferation index (QPI) in premenopausal leiomyoma cells was significantly (p < 0.025) higher than that in leiomyomas in postmenopausal women. Leiomyomas proliferated most actively during the secretory phase. After the climacterium, leiomyomas showed no proliferative activity in the absence of hormone supply, while combined substitution with estrogen and progestagen considerably increased QPI.