IMMUNOREACTIVITY OF BCL-2, P53 AND EGFR IS ASSOCIATED WITH TUMOR STAGE, GRADE AND CELL-PROLIFERATION IN SUPERFICIAL BLADDER-CANCER

Immunoreactivity of bcl-2, p53, the epidermal growth factor (EGFr) and Ki-67 (MIB-1) proteins was assessed by immunohistochemistry in 185 pa tients with superficial bladder cancer (SEC) in order to evaluate thei r usefulness as indicators of tumor progression. Forty-one percent of the tumors were bcl-2 positive, 36 % of them were positive for p53 (ov er 20 % of nuclei), while 41 % were positive for EGFr, and 30 % of the tumors were MIB-1 positive (proliferation index > 15 %). Immunoreacti vity of all analyzed proteins was highly significantly related to tumo r grade and stage. Tumors which were bcl-2, p53 or EGFr positive were also rapidly proliferative (MIB-1 score >15 %), The obtained results s uggest that all analyzed proteins may have prognostic significance in SEC. The prognostic value of the abnormal immunolabeling of the analyz ed proteins will be established after an adequate follow-up period of this same cohort of patients.