Clinical role of Bcl-2, Bax, or p53 overexpression in peripheral T-cell lymphomas.
Apoptosis pathways are known to be involved in the pathogenesis of peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs). As such, the current study attempted to investigate the overexpression of Bcl-2, Bax, or p53 with respect to the progression of PTCL. Paraffin-embedded specimens from 74 patients were analyzed immunohistochemically for Bcl-2, Bax, or p53 overexpression including PTCL-unspecified (n=45), extranodal natural killer cell/T-cell lymphoma (n=10), angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (n=7), anaplastic large cell lymphoma (n=7), and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (n=5). The Bcl-2 overexpression was exhibited in 33 (45%), Bax, 17 (23%), and p53, 33 patients (45%). Bcl-2 overexpression was strongly associated with advanced stage (p=0.021) and higher international prognostic indices (IPI) (p=0.038). Bcl-2(+)/p53(+) group was found to be associated with advanced stage (p=0.008) and higher IPI (p=0.001), compared with the other groups. The independent expression of Bcl-2 or p53 was not correlated with survival. Meanwhile, when confined to Bcl-2 overexpressing groups, p53 overexpression was significantly associated with poor survival (p=0.05), as the 3-year OS rate was 82.5% for Bcl-2(+)/p53- cases, yet only 32.9% for Bcl-2(+)/p53(+) cases. Multivariate analyses for OS found the Bcl-2/p53 co-expression (p=0.004) as independent prognostic factor, together with advanced stage (p<0.001) and higher prognostic index for PTCL (p=0.008). Bcl-2 overexpression seemed to correlate with the progression of PTCL interacting with a p53-dependent pathway.
Jung
Jin Tae
JT
Department of Hematology/Oncology, Kyungpook National University Hospital, 50 Samduk 2-Ga, Jung-Gu, 700-412, Daegu, South Korea.
Kim
Dong Hwan
DH
Kwak
Eun Kyung
EK
Kim
Jong Gwang
JG
Park
Tae In
TI
Sohn
Sang Kyun
SK
Do
Young Rok
YR
Kwon
Ki Young
KY
Song
Hong Suk
HS
Park
Eui Hyun
EH
Lee
Kyu Bo
KB