Bcl-2 protein expression correlates with better prognosis in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
BACKGROUND
Regulation of apoptosis is an important mechanism during the development of tumors including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between p53 and bcl-2 expression and various clinicopathological features and survival in patients with NSCLC.


METHODS
Histological specimens obtained from 120 patients with stage I-III NSCLC were examined immunohistochemically for p53 and bcl-2.


RESULTS
Positive immunostaining for p53 was observed in 50 and for bcl-2 in 35 patients. Tumors with lymph node metastasis were significantly more likely to be bcl-2-positive. However, there was no correlation between p53 immunostaining and clinicopathological parameters. Cox proportional hazard multiple regression analyses identified gender, N status and bcl-2 expression as independent prognostic factors. When advanced stage tumors or tumors with lymph node metastasis were analyzed, a more favorable survival was noted in patients with bcl-2-positive tumors than those with bcl-2-negative tumors.


CONCLUSIONS
Bcl-2 protein expression correlates with better prognosis in patients with advanced NSCLC.
Division of Surgical Oncology Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki 852-8501, Japan.
Yoshihito
Y
Shibata
Shigekazu
S
Hidaka
Yutaka
Y
Tagawa
Takeshi
T
Nagayasu
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015996:Survival Rate; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis
D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53