An Immunohistochemical Study of bcl-2 and p53 Protein Expression in Pancreatic Carcinomas

BACKGROUND: Only a few articles have examined the relationship between bcl-2 expression and clinical findings or bcl-2 expression and p53 expression in pancreatic carcinomas. METHODS: We investigated bcl-2 protein and p53 protein expression by means of immunohistochemical methods. RESULTS: The immunostaining for bcl-2 was positive in 16 (20%) of 81 cases of pancreatic carcinoma. There were no significant correlations between bcl-2 expression and the age, gender, region of sampling, or clinical stage of the patients. Bcl-2 protein was detected more frequently in histologically high-grade pancreatic carcinomas (grade III, 31%; grade II, 14%; grade I, 0%); however, there was no significant difference in prognosis between patients with and without bcl-2 protein expression. Immunostaining for the p53 protein was positive in 45 (56%) of 81 cases of pancreatic carcinoma. There was no significant correlation between bcl-2 protein expression and p53 protein expression. CONCLUSION: Bcl-2 was often detected in histologically high-grade pancreatic carcinomas, although there was no significant correlation between bcl-2 expression and the prognosis.