Does immunointensity account for the differences in prognostic significance of Bcl-2 expression in non-small cell lung cancer?
Bcl-2 is an oncogenic protein that plays a central role in apoptosis. The association of Bcl-2 expression and prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is unclear, with some studies showing improved outcome whilst others show no survival advantage. We evaluated 178 surgically resected NSCLC specimens for Bcl-2 and p53 immunoexpression. Bcl-2 staining was present in 34.9% of cases (weakly staining 24.2%, strongly staining 10.7%), nuclear p53 in 43. 3% and cytoplasmic p53 in 10.7%. There was no association between p53 and survival. Bcl-2 immunoexpression correlated with improved outcome (p=0.04). A sub-group of strongly Bcl-2 staining cases had a poor survival compared to those that stained weakly (p=0.01). The strongly staining cases had a similar survival to negative cases. Immunointensity may therefore account for the disparity in results regarding the prognostic significance of Bcl-2 demonstrated in previous studies.
Glenfield Hospital, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Leicester, UK.
G
G
Cox
R A
RA
Walker
S
S
Muller
K R
KR
Abrams
W P
WP
Steward
K J
KJ
O'Byrne
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism
D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53