Expression of the apoptosis-related oncogenes bcl-2, bax, and p53 in Merkel cell carcinoma:: Can they predict treatment response and clinical outcome?

被引:51
作者
Feinmesser, M
Halpern, M
Fenig, E
Tsabari, C
Hodak, E
Sulkes, J
Brenner, B
Okon, E
机构
[1] Rabin Med Ctr, Dept Pathol, IL-49100 Petah Tiqwa, Israel
[2] Rabin Med Ctr, Dept Oncol, IL-49100 Petah Tiqwa, Israel
[3] Rabin Med Ctr, Dept Dermatol & Epidemiol, IL-49100 Petah Tiqwa, Israel
[4] Rabin Med Ctr, Dept Pathol, Petah Tiqwa, Israel
[5] Tel Aviv Univ, Sackler Sch Med, IL-69978 Tel Aviv, Israel
关键词
Merkel cell carcinoma; apoptosis; proapoptotic and antiapoptotic genes; treatment;
D O I
10.1016/S0046-8177(99)90070-9
中图分类号
R36 [病理学];
学科分类号
100104 ;
摘要
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy act predominantly through the induction of apoptosis in malignancies. Merkel cell carcinoma, an aggressive malignancy with prominent apoptosis, has proved to be sensitive to both modes to a certain degree. We used immunohistochemical methods to examine 25 Merkel cell carcinomas and 8 of their lymph node metastases to assess the status of the antiapoptotic gene bcl-2 and 2 proapoptotic genes, wild-type p53 and bax. All tumors showed prominent baa immunopositivity; 76% were positive for bcl-2, and only 28% were positive for p53, the latter presumably reflecting mutated p53. No statistically significant relationship was found between tumor immunopositivity and therapy response or survival. The widespread bax immunopositivity and the apparently low rate of p53 mutations, as suggested by the low rate of p53 immunopositivity, may be related to the presence of prominent apoptosis in Merkel cell carcinoma. The finding of bcl-2 immunopositivity in 76% of the tumors suggests that some of the tumor cells may be resistant to apoptosis-inducing agents. Copyright (C) 1999 by W.B. Saunders Company.
引用
收藏
页码:1367 / 1372
页数:6
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