The relationship between bcl-2 oncogene expression and clinicopathological criteria in various stages of cervical neoplasia in Egyptian women.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the degree of bcl-2 expression in the various stages of cervical neoplasia in a sample population of Egyptian women and relate the findings to clinicopathological criteria of invasive cervical cancer.


METHODS
Bcl-2 protein expression was assessed by immuno-histochemistry in 40 patients with cervical neoplasia (intraepithelial and invasive) in comparison to 20 patients with benign changes. Patients with invasive disease were followed up 2 years later and the outcome was correlated to the bcl-2 status at the time of diagnosis.


RESULTS
Bcl-2 expression increased from 20% in normal cervical tissue to 42.9% in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade II then dropped to 33% in invasive disease. Bcl-2 was not expressed (0%) in patients with advanced disease stage and grade nor in patients with lympho-vascular space invasion.


CONCLUSIONS
Bcl-2 expression is reduced along the spectrum from benign towards invasive disease of the cervix. The maximum expression found in CIN II may suggest increased potential of progression to CIN III.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Crosshouse Hospital, Kilmarnock, UK. waelagur@nhs.net
W
W
Agur
M
M
Hassan
M
M
Laban
H
H
Morsi
I
I
Abou-Senna
D000328:Adult; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004534:Egypt; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*
D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2