Bcl-2 oncoprotein expression is increased especially in the portion of small cell carcinoma within the combined type of small cell lung cancer.
Immunohistochemical analysis of Bcl-2 oncoprotein, one of the oncogenes associated with the regulation of programmed cell death, was performed on 12 surgically resected tumors of the combined type of small-cell lung cancer. Ten cases (83%) expressed Bcl-2 oncoprotein within the tumor tissues. Two of them showed its expression in both the small cell carcinoma and non-small cell carcinoma types, and 7 cases exhibited Bcl-2 expression only in the portion of the small cell carcinoma. Considering previous reports indicating a high prevalence of Bcl-2 oncoprotein expression in small cell lung cancer, it is suggested that Bcl-2 oncoprotein even in the combined type of lung cancer may play an important role in tumorigenesis and tumor development and ensuing histological alterations between small cell carcinoma and non-small cell carcinoma types.
Higashiyama
M
M
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Center for Adult Diseases, Osaka, Japan.
Doi
O
O
Kodama
K
K
Yokouchi
H
H
Tateishi
R
R
D000368:Aged; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000032:analysis*
D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2