PROGNOSTIC SIGNIFICANCE OF BCL-2, BAX AND P53 EXPRESSION IN BREAST CANCER

Aim: of this study was to investigate the significance of apoptosis-related genes bcl-2 and Bax in breast carcinoma cases treated with radical surgery plus radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy for at least 1 year and their relation with expression of p53. Methods: After surgical resection immunohistochemistry was performed to determine Bcl-2, Bax, p53 and estrogen receptor (ER) expression in paraffin-embedded tissues of 50 invasive breast cancers.And overall survival was assessed. Results: Bcl-2, Bax; P53 and ER immunostaining displayed a positive relation with increasing histologic grade (P=0.000) and negative relation with the staging .Bcl2 displayed a negative relation with p53 (P=0.035) and a positive relation with Bax and ER (P= 0.003 and P= 0.011 respectively). Expression ofBcl2 was associated significant improvement in overall survival (p=0.01). Conclusion: regulation of apoptosis is important in invasive ductal carcinoma. These results indicate that bcl-2 expression is significantly associated with hormonal receptor status so it is good prognostic marker, and that p53 is a significant prognostic marker. No significant relation between Bax and overall survival in relation to the stage, p53 or ER