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Bcl-2 protein expression correlates with better prognosis in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer
Yoshihito Shibata1, Shigekazu Hidaka, Yutaka Tagawa
1Division of Surgical Oncology Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki 852-8501, Japan.
Background:
Regulation of apoptosis is an important mechanism during the development of tumors including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between p53 and bcl-2 expression and various clinicopathological features and survival in patients with NSCLC.
Materials And Methods:
Histological specimens obtained from 120 patients with stage I-III NSCLC were examined immunohistochemically for p53 and bcl-2.
Results:
Positive immunostaining for p53 was observed in 50 and for bcl-2 in 35 patients. Tumors with lymph node metastasis were significantly more likely to be bcl-2-positive. However, there was no correlation between p53 immunostaining and clinicopathological parameters. Cox proportional hazard multiple regression analyses identified gender, N status and bcl-2 expression as independent prognostic factors. When advanced stage tumors or tumors with lymph node metastasis were analyzed, a more favorable survival was noted in patients with bcl-2-positive tumors than those with bcl-2-negative tumors.
Conclusion:
Bcl-2 protein expression correlates with better prognosis in patients with advanced NSCLC.