Correlation of p53 protein accumulation and Bcl-2 overexpression with histopathological features in prostatic cancer.
OBJECTIVE
p53 mutation and Bcl-2 overexpression is correlated with advanced prostate cancer. This study investigated the correlation of p53 and Bcl-2 immunoreactivity frequency with histopathological features in patients with prostate cancer in Taiwan.


METHODS
Primary adenocarcinomas from 125 radical prostatectomy specimens were stained using commercial monoclonal antibodies. Association between immunohistochemical findings and tumor extent, Gleason score and preoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels were assessed.


RESULTS
Abnormal p53 expression was identified in 44 tumors (35.2%) and was correlated with high serum PSA (p=0.022) and advanced disease (p=0.005), but not Gleason score. Ten tumors (8%) expressed Bcl-2. A significant positive association was found between Bcl-2 and PSA (p=0.034). There was no association between p53 and Bcl-2 immunopositivity.


CONCLUSIONS
p53 mutation was positively correlated with serum PSA and tumor extent. Overexpression of Bcl-2 was associated with high serum PSA only.
Division of Urology, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Yang-Ming University, School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
Jen-Tai
JT
Lin
Jyh-Seng
JS
Wang
Bang-Ping
BP
Jiann
Chia-Cheng
CC
Yu
Jeng-Yu
JY
Tsai
Jong-Khing
JK
Huang
Tony T
TT
Wu
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D016158:Genes, p53; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis*
D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen