Background: The p53 tumor suppressor gene product participated in G1 cell cycle arrest or cell death. Loss of function was associated with poor outcome in patients with breast carcinoma. bcl-2 prevented apoptosis induced by c-myc or growth factor deprivation. High bcl-2 expression in breast tumor tissue specimens appears to be associated with favorable prognostic factors. However, Bcl-2 and p53 expression in primary tumor tissue specimens versus metastatic lymph node specimens in breast carcinoma has not been studied. The current study compared Bcl-2 and p53 expression in primary breast carcinoma tissue specimens with Bcl-2 and p53 expression in axillary lymph node specimens.
Methods: Primary breast tumor and corresponding axillary metastatic lymph node tissue specimens were obtained from 60 patients with breast carcinoma. They were evaluated for the presence of Bcl-2 and p53 expression by immunohistochemistry using standard methods.
Results: Bcl-2 expression in primary tumor tissue specimens (53%) was correlated with Bcl-2 expression in metastatic lymph node specimens (50 %; Pearson correlation = 0.656). p53 expression in primary tumor specimens (72%) was correlated with p53 expression in metastatic lymph node specimens (60 %; Pearson correlation = 0.800). A significant inverse correlation also was found between p53 and Bcl-2 expression in primary breast tumor tissue specimens (Pearson correlation = -0.310).
Conclusions: The current study suggested that Bcl-2 and p53 expression in axillary metastatic lymph node specimens is correlated with Bcl-2 and p53 expression in the primary tumor tissue specimens. The prognostic and predictive value of Bcl-2 and p53 expression in axillary lymph node metastasis in patients with breast carcinoma needs to be further evaluated in larger trials with longer follow-up.
Copyright 2003 American Cancer Society.