Korean J Pathol.  2003 Dec;37(6):393-399.

Expression of p21, p53 and bcl-2 Proteins in Invasive Ductal Carcinoma of the Breast

• Jo HJ
• Yun KJ
• Moon HB

Abstract

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to investigate the prognostic significance of p21, p53, and bcl-2 proteins in invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast.
METHODS
Seventy-two cases of invasive ductal carcinoma were examined by immunohistochemical staining for p21, p53 and bcl-2 proteins. The results were correlated with clinicopathological variables, including age, tumor size, histologic grade, nuclear grade, lymph node status, estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) expression.
RESULTS
Of 72 cases, p21, p53 and bcl-2 proteins were positive in 25 (34.8%), 35 (50.0%) and 27 (37.5%), respectively. There were no statistically significant correlations between the p21 protein expression and the other clinicopathological variables. The expression of p53 protein, however, showed a significant relation to ER expression, and that of bcl-2 was positively correlated with tumor size. In survival analysis, p21, p53, and bcl-2 proteins, nuclear grade and lymph node status were associated with survival rate.
CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that p21, p53, and bcl-2 proteins might play a role in tumorigenesis of breast carcinoma. In addition, the increased expression of p21, p53, and bcl-2 proteins could be used as factors suggesting poor prognosis in breast carcinomas.

Keyword

p21; p53; bcl; bcl-2; Breast Neoplasms

MeSH Terms

Breast Neoplasms
Breast*
Carcinogenesis
Carcinoma, Ductal*
Estrogens
Lymph Nodes
Nuclear Proteins
Prognosis
Receptors, Progesterone
Survival Rate
Estrogens
Nuclear Proteins
Receptors, Progesterone