Relevance of the expression of bcl-2 in combination with p53 as a prognostic factor in breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
Both the proto-oncogene bcl-2 and the tumour suppressor gene p53 are involved in the regulation of apoptosis.


METHODS
We have investigated the prognostic value of the immunohistochemical expression of p53 and bcl-2 separately and in combination in a group of 345 breast cancer patients from one hospital with a long median follow-up of more than 10 years.


RESULTS
Bcl-2 expression was not a prognostic factor. p53 was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (p = 0.005) and for post-relapse survival (p = 0.006). Looking at bcl-2/p53 subgroups in the bcl-2 positive subgroup there was a large difference in both disease-free and overall survival between p53 negative and p53 positive patients. In the bcl-2 negative subgroup the p53 status was not a prognostic factor at all.


CONCLUSIONS
p53 is an independent prognostic factor for overall survival and post-relapse survival. However, p53 status is only important in the bcl-2 positive subgroup.
Jansen
R L
RL
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Joosten-Achjanie
S R
SR
Volovics
A
A
Arends
J W
JW
Hupperets
P S
PS
Hillen
H F
HF
Schouten
H C
HC
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000782:Aneuploidy; D017209:Apoptosis; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D004171:Diploidy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019254:Genes, bcl-2; D016158:Genes, p53; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics
C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53