title: The Bcl-2 protein: a prognostic indicator strongly related to ER and PR in breast cancer.
abstract: Bcl-2, the protein product of the Bcl-2 gene, is a member of the Bcl-2 family of proteins that play a crucial role in a complex mechanism of apoptosis. It was recently proposed that bcl-2 could inhibit cancer progression. In this study, we evaluated the expression patterns of Bcl-2, estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PR) in 71 primary invasive breast carcinomas and their association with other clinicopathological parameters. Samples from 71 patients with invasive breast cancer with follow-up ranging from 4-103 months (median 57 months) were included in the study. Forty-six patients (66%) obtained a complete response, while 5 (9%) were considered non-responders during the follow up period of 103 months. Eighteen (25%) patients died, 15 (21%) from primary disease and 3 (4%) from other disease. In unvaried analysis, tumor size (<2 cm), lymph node (<4 lymph nodes), hormonal status and Bcl-2 expression are correlated with longer overall (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS). Patients with 4 or more positive axillary lymph nodes had significantly shorter OS (p=0.01) and RFS (p=0.009). Higher expression of Bcl-2 was associated with longer OS (p=0.02) and RFS (p=0.03), and this result were independent of axillary lymph nodes and tumor size in Cox multivariate analysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Nurija
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bilalović
authors.forename: Semir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vranić
authors.forename: Senad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hasanagić
authors.forename: Hiba
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Basić
authors.forename: Aida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tatarević
authors.forename: Semir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beslija
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Selak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone