The expression of bcl-2,VEGF in breast cancer and the study of relationship between bcl-2,VEGF and other prognostic factors

Objective To investigate the relationship between the expression of bcl-2,VEGF and other prognostic factors which significantly influence the survival rate after surgical resection of primary breast cancer.Meanwhile,the expression of bcl-2,VEGF,ER,PR,and C-erbB-2 of atypical hyperplasia and normal breast tissues are also to be studied.Methods Sixty-four women with primary breast carcinoma were studied for the expression of bcl-2 and VEGF proteins.The expression of ER,PR,C-erbB-2,bcl-2,and VEGF in nineteen benign breast tissues and twelve atypical hyperplasia breast tissues were also examined by automated immunohistochemical assay.Results Forty-two(65.6%) and forty (62.5%) breast cancer cases were found positive to bcl-2 and VEGF,respectively,as indicated by immunohistochemistry.A statistically significant association was found between expression of bcl-2 and high grade (grade Ⅲ) (P=0.009), positive lymph nodes (P=0.014), positivity of ER (P=0.010), positiveity of PR (P=0.010).The expression of VEGF was not related to menopausal status,but was negatively related to the estrogen receptor and.progesterone receptor (P0.05),at same time,VEGF was positively related to tumor size (P=0.012), lymph nodes(P=0.004),highgrade (P=0.005),TNMⅢ (P=0.012),C-erbB-2 (P=0.001).Between bcl-2 and VEGF,there existed positive correlation (r=0.4172,P=0.0001).And there was a trend that from benign breast tissues to atypical hyperplastic breast tissues to breast carcinoma,the expression of bcl-2 and VEGF became higher and higher.This trend was statistically significant(P=0.001,0.002).Conclusion Disorder of bcl-2 expression may result in the disorder of apoptosis-modulation of breast cancer cell;bcl-2 gene influences the biological behavior of tumor.As a potent angiogenic factor,VEGF is associated with a poor prognosis of primary breast cancer.Bcl-2 regulates the progession of cell apoptosis from benign breast tissues to atypical hyperplastic breast tissues to breast carcinoma,and influences the biological behavior of breast tumor cells.VEGF correlates positively with bcl-2 expression;whether it up-regulates bcl-1 protein is still pending further verification.