Prognostic evaluation of the expression of p53 and bcl-2 oncoproteins in patients with surgically resected non-small cell lung cancer.
BACKGROUND
Tumor staging remains the most important prognostic predictor in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the prognostic significance of expression of oncoproteins involved in regulation of cellular uncontrolled proliferation remains controversial.


METHODS
In this retrospective study, we investigated the expression of bcl-2 and p53 oncoproteins in 114 surgically resected NSCLC patients (46 stage I, 39 stage II and 29 stage IIIa) using immunohistochemical analysis and correlated the molecular markers with survival.


RESULTS
Positive bcl-2 immunoreactivity was detected in 26 of 114 (22.8%) NSCLC, including 15 of 43 (34.9%) squamous cell carcinoma and 11 of 71 (15.5%) adenocarcinoma cases. Nuclear staining for p53 was observed in 59 of 114 (51.8%) NSCLC, including 26 of 43 (60.5%) squamous cell carcinoma and 33 of 71 (46.5%) adenocarcinoma patients. There was no correlation between pathological staging and expression of bcl-2 and p53. However, the expression frequency of bcl-2 was significantly higher in squamous cell carcinoma than in adenocarcinoma (P < 0.02). The presence of bcl-2 expression did not provide a favorable prognosis (P = 0.23) and the overexpression of p53 oncoprotein was also not significantly associated with adverse prognosis (P = 0.09). No inverse relationship was found between bcl-2 and p53 expression (P = 0.83).


CONCLUSIONS
Expressions of bcl-2 and p53 using immunohistochemical staining are not independent prognostic predictors in patients undergoing surgery for NSCLC.
Lai
Ruay-Sheng
RS
Department of Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung and School of Medicine, National Yan-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan. lairs@seed.net.tw
Wang
Jyh-Seng
JS
Hsu
Hon-Ki
HK
Chang
Huang-Chou
HC
Lin
Chin-Hsun
CH
Lin
Min-Hsi
MH
D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D011379:Prognosis; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53