Differential expression of Bcl-2, Bcl-XL and p53 in colorectal cancer

AIMS: The balance between proliferation and apoptosis is often disturbed in cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible role of Bcl-2 gene family members and p53 as prognostic factors in a series of colorectal cancer. METHODS: The immunohistochemical expression of Bcl-2 gene family members (Bcl-2 and Bcl-X(L)) and p53 was evaluated in 81 surgical specimens of primary human colorectal cancers to establish the role of these genes in colorectal cancer and to evaluate their prognostic importance. RESULTS: The expression of Bcl-2 correlated with early clinical stage and lack of lymphovascular invasion and lymph node involvement. The expression of p53 correlated with less differentiated status and with perineural invasion. p53 expression showed negative correlation with Bcl-X(L) expression (P = 0.025) and no correlation with Bcl-2 expression. CONCLUSIONS: p53 expression may be a less favorable marker and Bcl-2 expression a more favorable marker of behavior. Bcl-2 and Bcl-X(L) may play an independent role in disease progression, and the expression of these proteins may be under independent regulatory control in colorectal cancer.