Prognostic significance of bcl-2 and p53 expression in colorectal carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to detect the expression of bcl-2 and p53 proteins in colorectal carcinomas and to determine their association with the patient survival and stage of the diseases.


METHODS
Immunohistochemistry method was used to detect the expression of bcl-2 and p53 proteins in 93 cases of colorectal carcinoma. The stain results were obtained by analyzing the clinic-pathological characteristics of patients.


RESULTS
Fifty-seven percent (53/93) of the colorectal carcinomas were bcl-2 protein positive. The positive rate of bcl-2 protein in lymph node involvement cases was lower (15/37) than the cases without node involvement (38/58, P<0.01). The positive rate of p53 protein was 43% (40/93) in colon-rectum carcinomas. No significant correlation was observed between p53 protein expression and clinic-pathological manifestations (P>0.05) but the survival was significantly worse (P=0.0001) in the p53 protein positive cases. Neither bcl-2 nor p53 alone was correlated with stage of the disease. When combined bcl-2/p53 status was analyzed, a group with bcl-2(+) and p53(-) had the best prognosis. This group was significantly associated with earlier Dukes' stages (P=0.1763). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, lymph node involvement and p53 protein expression were two independent factors correlated with survival time.


CONCLUSIONS
The expression of bcl-2 and p53 represent biological characteristics of colorectal carcinomas. Assessment of both bcl-2 and p53 status may be valuable in predicting the prognosis of patients.
Zhao
Dan-ping
DP
Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China.
Ding
Xiao-wen
XW
Peng
Jia-ping
JP
Zheng
Yi-xiong
YX
Zhang
Su-zhan
SZ
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53