Expression of p53 and bcl-2 in cervical carcinomas and their premalignant lesions

The purpose of this study was to assess the expression and clinical significance of bcl-2 and p53 in the progression of cervical neoplasias. One hundred seventy one cervical lesions, consisting of normal cervical epithelium, condyloma lesions, CIN (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia) lesions and cervical carcinomas were examined immunohistochemically. Twenty-three specimens showed p53 expression [3/20 (15%) CIN III, 18/63 (29%) ISCC (invasive squamous cervical carcinoma) and 2/18 (11%) adenocarcinomas] while 63 cases expressed the bcl-2 gene [10/13 (77%) normal, 0/14(0%) condylomas, 6/23 (26%) CIN I, 9/20 (45%) CIN II, 15/20 (75%) CIN III, 18/63 (29%) ISCC and 5/18 (28%) adenocarcinomas]. The positivity of bcl-2 has being significantly increased in line with grade of CIN (p=0.02) while similar correlation was not observed in p53. In cervical cancer patients, expression of bcl-2 was correlated to a better 5-year survival (p<0.01) while no prognostic significance of p53 expression was found.