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= Abstract =

Expression of . Bcl-2 Proteins and Hormone Receptors in Human

Choung Han Lee, M.D.

Department of Surgery Kosin University College of Medicine

In a study of 56 breast cancer patients (infiltrating ductal carcinoma) with a follow-up period of more than 5 years, bcl-2 and p53 oncoprotein were detennined by immunohistochemistry. The aims of this study were two folds: (1) to detennine whether bcl-2 and p53 are expressed in breast cancer and its possible role in cell transfonnation, on the light of the relationship to and receptors, and (2) to assess whether bcl-2 and p53 immunoreactivity is associated with important clinicopathological parameters and with patient survival, including estrogen and progesterone receptors. Twelve of 56 (21.4%) carcinoma were Bcl-2 positive, and seventeen (30.4%) were p53-positive. A positive relationship was seen between bcl-2 and estrogen (ER), with 11 of 12 (91.7%) bcl-2 positive tumors being ER positive (O.05O.05). A strong negative relationship was observed between p53 and ER with seven· of 17 (52.9%) p53 positive tumors being ER positive (pO.l). In conclusion, the role of bcl-2 in breast cancer is presumed that bcl-2 may be an ER- regulated and loss of bcl-2 expression in breast cancer is associ­ ated with a range of molecular markers of poor prognosis and maybe define part of ER negative phenotype. The data presented herein may also have therapeutic implications that bcl-2 immunoreactivity of breast carcinoma can be a predictor of a therapeutic response to antiestroge­ nie therapy. The p53 expression may be also marker of aggressive carcinomas. But this prognostic power is likely to be weak and unlikely, therefore, to be of clinical significance. (Korean J of Breast Cancer 1998;1:92~l02) Key Words: