Expression and Clinical Significances of c-erbB-2,bcl-2 and p53 in Colorectal Neoplasms

Background:c-erbB-2,bcl-2 and mutation of p53 are mutually interregulated and may play important roles in the carcinomatous changes of colorectal adenoma.Aims:To appraise the protein expression of c-erbB-2,bcl-2 and p53 in colorectal neoplasms and their clinical significances.Methods:Immunohistochemical method was used to detect the protein expression of c-erbB-2,bcl-2 and p53 in 42 colorectal adenocarcinoma,10 adenoma and 10 normal colorectal mucosal tissue.The relationships between these protein expression and the clinicopathologic characteristics of colorectal adenocarcinoma were analyzed.Results:Significant differences could be found among colorectal adenocarcinoma,adenoma and normal colorectal mucosal tissue in the protein expression of c-erbB-2,bcl-2 and p53(P0.05).bcl-2 protein expression in colorectal adenocarcinoma was decreased as compared with that in the adenoma while the protein expression of c-erbB-2 and p53 in colorectal adenocarcinoma was increased.From well-,moderately-to poorly-differentiated adenocarcinoma of colorectum,the protein expression of c-erbB-2 increased and bcl-2 decreased gradually,and protein expression of c-erbB-2 and p53 was positively correlated with lymph node metastasis and Dukes staging of colorectal adenocarcinoma.Negative correlation was found between the protein expression of bcl-2 and p53 in the colorectal adenocarcinoma(rs=-0.301,P0.05).Conclusions:c-erbB-2 is involved in the progression,differentiation and metastasis of colorectal cancer.High expression of p53 and relatively low expression of bcl-2 may be correlated with the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer.Over-expression of bcl-2 may be an early event in the development of colorectal cancer.