Assessment of Ki-67 as a Prognostic Marker in Breast Cancer Patients Treated at the University Hospital Center “Mother Teresa,” Albania

Keywords Breast Cancer; Ki-67; Prognostic Marker; Biomarkers; Oncology; Albania; ER; PR; HER-2 Attachment

Abstract: Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies affecting women worldwide. Ki-67, a proliferative index marker, is increasingly used as an indicator of tumor growth, prognosis, risk of recurrence, and response to treatment. This retrospective study evaluated 252 breast cancer patients treated at the Oncology Department of the University Hospital Center “Mother Teresa” in Albania between 2021 and 2024. The findings showed that 50.38% of patients presented high Ki-67 expression. Significant correlations were identified between Ki-67 expression and patient age (p=0.008), disease stage (p<0.001), and ER/PR receptor expression. A positive but non-significant association was observed with HER-2 expression. The study concludes that Ki-67 is an important biomarker for the prognostic assessment and clinical management of breast cancer patients.