title: Prognostic significance and correlation with survival of bcl-2 and TGF-beta RII in colon cancer.
abstract: Bcl-2 and TGF-beta receptors type II (RII) in colon carcinomas were studied in a series of 113 patients, to determine their prognostic significance and to correlate their expression with other prognostic indicators. Bcl-2 expression in the tumor cells showed a reverse relation with tumor size (P = 0.018), histological grade (P = 0.04), and stage (P = 0.013). Univariate survival analysis using the log rank test showed that the survival of patients with bcl-2-positive tumors was significantly better than the survival of patients with bcl-2-negative tumors (P = 0.02). However, when entered into a multivariate analysis model, it was not found to be of independent prognostic significance. TGF-beta RII expression was correlated with stage (P = 0.03), while no statistically significant correlation was found between TGF-beta RII expression and histological grade or survival. In conclusion, these results provide additional evidence for the role of bcl-2 and TGF-beta RII in carcinogenesis of the colon, while they do not support the use of these factors as prognostic markers in patients with colon cancer.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Propedeutic Surgery, Athens University School of Medicine, Laiko Hospital, Athens, Greece. gkouraklis@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kouraklis
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kakisis
authors.forename: Stamatios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Theoharis
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tzonou
authors.forename: Andromachi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Glinavou
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Raftopoulos
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Karatzas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta