Apoptosis and adenocarcinoma of the cardia: expression of p53, Bcl-2, Bcl-XL, WAF1, and fas proteins and association with characteristics of the tumors
Vlachos, K.; Siafakas, N.; Karameris, A.; Athanasas, G.; Theodoropoulos, G.; Peros, G.; Papadopoulos, J.; Hakim, N.
International Surgery 93(3): 145-154
2008
ISSN/ISBN: 0020-8868 PMID: 18828269 Document Number: 617681
Our knowledge regarding the biology of the gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinomas is still incomplete. Paraffin-embedded sections from 31 surgically resected primary cardia adenocarcinomas were examined by immunohistochemistry. Statistical analysis showed that Bcl-2 expression was significantly correlated with the age of the patients (P = 0.043), whereas Bcl-X(L) expression was inversely correlated with Bcl-2 expression (P = 0.021). An inverse correlation of high statistical significance was also found between p53 and Bcl-2 expression (P = 0.000). Fas expression was highly correlated with tumor stage (P = 0.006), degree of differentiation (P = 0.044), and the stage of the disease (P = 0.029). A significant correlation was also observed between the expression levels of WAF1 and Fas (P = 0.037), Fas and Bcl-X(L) (P = 0.018), and WAF1 and p53 (P = 0.018). These proteins may contribute to the estimation of the properties of adenocarcinomas of the gastroesophageal junction, facilitating prognosis of cancer patients treated by multimode therapy.