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Prognostic value of immunohistochemical expression of p53, bax, Bcl‐2 and Bcl‐x L in resected non‐small‐cell lung cancers

2004; Wiley; Volume: 44; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1111/j.1365-2559.2004.01750.x

1365-2559

Angela M Groeger, Vincenzo Esposito, Antonio De Luca, Roberto Cassandro, Giuseppe Tonini, Vincenzo Ambrogi, Feliciano Baldi, Madeline Goldfarb, Tommaso Claudio Mineo, Alfonso Baldi, Ernst Wolner,

Lung Cancer Treatments and Mutations

Aims : Some experimental evidence suggests that in lung cancer, development, progression and an increased proliferation rate can be linked to apoptosis‐related factors. In this study we evaluated the possible role of p53 and Bcl‐2 gene family members as prognostic factors for non‐small‐cell lung cancer. Methods and results : We investigated the immunohistochemical expression of p53 and Bcl‐2 gene family members (bax, Bcl‐2 and Bcl‐x L ) in 94 non‐small‐cell lung cancer specimens to establish the role of these genes in lung cancer pathogenesis, and to evaluate their prognostic importance. The expression of Bcl‐2 was correlated with a shorter patient survival time and with the nodal status of the neoplasm. We also found frequent over‐expression of bax and Bcl‐x L to be of no prognostic significance. Finally, we found no correlation between frequent detection of aberrant p53 protein and expression of either Bcl‐2, bax or Bcl‐x L or with patient survival time. Conclusions : This study confirms a relevant role for apoptosis‐regulatory proteins in the pathogenesis of lung cancer, and highlights the possible role of Bcl‐2 as a prognostic factor for this tumour.