Expression Pattern of bel-2 Protooncogene in Metastatic Prostate Cancer

Jang, Seok Heun; Kwon, Sung Won

Abstract

PURPOSE
Metastatic prostatic adenocarcinoma can be controlled by androgen ablation through the active process of programmed cell death in androgen responsive cells. However, about 20-30% of patients have no clinical response to androgen withdrawal. Because of the importance of apoptosis in effecting tumor control, factors involved in this process may be helpful in predicting androgen insensitivity. So, we evaluated the significance of bcl-2 protooncogene expression pattern with therapeutic response of prostatic cancer
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We examined the cellular expression of bel-2 protein using immunohistochemical stain in tumor samples from 40 patients with metastatic prostatic cancer(stage D) and determined whether expression of blc-2 protein has related to the therapeutic response of prostatic cancer.
RESULTS
The hormonal status of the patient's tumor was determined by the clinical response to therapy. Androgen independent cancer was defined as that subset of patients who experienced no initial response to androgen ablation, or who experienced disease relapse following an initial response to androgen ablation. So, we found that androgen dependent prostatic cancer was 22 patients and androgen independent prostatic cancer was 18 patients. The positive staining for bcl-2 was 27.3%(6/22) and 83.3%(15/18) in androgen dependent and independent prostatic cancer, respectively. It was significant difference(p<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that bcl-2 expression is associated with androgen independent prostatic cancer and used one of the factors to predict which patient with prostatic cancer will respond to androgen ablation.