title: The association of apoptotic protein expressions sensitive to apoptosis gene, p73 and p53 with the prognosis of cervical carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the expressions of several apoptotic pathway proteins in relation to clinical parameters and survival in patients with cervical carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 20 patients with clinically advanced staged carcinoma of cervix (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics [FIGO] stage IIB-IVA) aged from 40 to 75 years were included in this study. The expression profile of anti-apoptotic protein (sensitive to apoptosis gene [SAG]), mitochondrial apoptotic proteins (B-cell lymphoma-extra-large [Bcl-xL] and Bcl-2 homologous antagonist/killer [Bak]), and tumor suppressor proteins (p73 and p53) were examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction experiments along with their relation to clinical parameters and survival analyses during follow-up for 5 to 8 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant difference was found in the expressions of SAG, Bcl-xL, Bak, p73 and p53 proteins with respect to stage and grade of tumor. A significant positive correlation was noted between SAG and Bcl-xL genes (r=0.752, P<0.001) and between SAG and Bak genes (r=0.589, P=0.006). Among genes determined to be significantly associated with overall survival in the univariate analysis (P=0.026 for SAG, P=0.002 for Bcl-xL, and P=0.027 for p53), only p53 was identified as the significant predictor in the multivariate analysis (hazard ratio: 8.53, 95% confidence interval: 1.34-54.2, P=0.023).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, our findings demonstrated a reverse correlation of SAG, Bcl-xL, and p53 expressions with overall survival of patients. No association of apoptotic pathway proteins with clinicopathological characteristics of cervical carcinoma patients was noted. Low SAG, Bcl-xL, and p53 expression levels revealed to be useful as prognostic predictors in patients with cervical carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Marmara University, School of Medicine, Maltepe, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Pinar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mega Tiber
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institute Biomedical Laboratory Science, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Latife
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baloglu
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Radiation Oncology, Dr Lutfi Kirdar Kartal Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sevgi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozden
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Marmara University, School of Medicine, Kaynarca, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zerrin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ozgen
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Radiation Oncology, Dr Lutfi Kirdar Kartal Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hazan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ozyurt
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Radiation Oncology, Dr Lutfi Kirdar Kartal Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Makbule
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eren
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Marmara University, School of Medicine, Maltepe, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Oya
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Orun
keywords: apoptosis; cervical carcinoma; p53; p73; sensitive-to-apoptosis gene