Expression of survivin protein and its relationship with the expression of p53, Bcl-2 proteins in non small cell lung cancer

Objective:To study the expression of survivin and its relationship with the expression of P53, Bcl-2 in non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods:Expression of the survivin, p53 and Bcl-2 proteins was evaluated by immunohistochemical assay in 80 NSCLC tumor samples, 20 inflammatory lung lesions. Results:Expression of survivin protein was detected in a significantly greater proportion of NSCLC (61.3%) than in inflammatory lung lesions (0.0%) (P0.05); The expression of survivin correlated with TNM stages, and there was no relationship between survivin expression and histologic type ,tumor differation and lymphnode metastasis . The expression of p53, was significantly higher in lung cancers (55.5%) than in inflammatory lung lesions (0.0%)(P0.05), and correlated with TNM stages and lymphnode metastasis. The expression of Bcl-2, was significantly higher in lung cancers (50.0%) than in inflammatory lung lesions (10.0%), and was significantly higher in squamous cancers (62.2%) than in adenocarcinomas (34.3%)(P0.05). The expression of survivin correlated with p53, Bcl-2 expression. Conclusion: The upregulation expression of survivin in NSCLC suggested that survivin may play a role in the pathway of carcinogenesis and may be identified as a potential therapeutic target in NSCLC. Expression of survivin correlated with TNM stages, and might be used to evaluate prognosis. The close relationships between the expression of survivin and p53, Bcl-2 indicate that they might play synergetic roles in the process of carcinogenesis of NSCLC.