IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL DETECTION OF ONCOGENE PROTEINS AND NEUROENDOCRINEDIFFERENTIATION IN DIFFERENT STAGES OF PROSTATE-CANCER

The progression of prostatic adenocarcinoma from localized disease to metastatic carcinoma appears to be a multi-step sequence. The expressi on of common oncogenes/oncosuppressor genes and the mediating effect o f neuroendocrine tumor cells may play a role in this progression. The expression of the more frequently investigated oncogenes/oncosuppresso r genes (p53, c-myc, c-erbB-2, bcl-2) and the presence of neuroendocri ne cells were assessed in prostatic cancer tissue from patients with l ocalized and metastatic cancer. These oncogenes/oncosuppressor genes w ere evaluated according to tumor stage and grade and their relationshi p to one another. Grade was not related to any of the oncogene markers or to the presence of neuroendocrine cells. Advancing stage was assoc iated with a significant increase in p53 expression, while other marke rs remained constant in all stages. Neuroendocrine cells, p53, c-myc, c-erbB-2 and bcl-2 were rarely co-expressed at any stage of prostate c ancer.