Clinicopathologic factors related to apoptosis in retinoblastoma.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the presence of apoptosis in retinoblastoma and its correlation with other pathologic and prognostic factors.


METHODS
The pathologic and admission records of 25 patients with a pathologically confirmed diagnosis of retinoblastoma were reviewed. TUNEL (TdT dUTP nick end labeling) staining was used to examine apoptosis in the pathologic slides of these 25 patients. The association between apoptosis and clinicopathologic factors was examined with chi-square, Fisher's exact, and Student's t tests.


RESULTS
Of the 25 specimens tested, 11 were TUNEL stain-positive for the presence of apoptotic cells. Apoptosis was found more frequently in younger patients and within rosettes, although these associations were not statistically significant. Apoptosis was not associated with tumor invasion or metastasis.


CONCLUSIONS
Apoptotic cells were found in 11 of 25 retinoblastoma specimens. Apoptosis tends to occur in young patients and be distributed within rosettes.
Wang
A G
AG
Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University Taiwan.
Lai
C R
CR
Hsu
W M
WM
Liu
J H
JH
Yen
M Y
MY
D017209:Apoptosis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D019572:Retinal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D012175:Retinoblastoma / Q000473:pathology*; D012307:Risk Factors
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm