p53 and bcl-2 immunohistochemistry in pretreatment prostate needle biopsies to predict recurrence of prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy

Purpose: Immunohistochemical staining of radical prostatectomy specimens fo r p53 and bcl-2 proteins has been shown to correlate with prostate specific antigen (PSA) recurrence in a series of patients at our institution. We an alyzed the relationship between staining of diagnostic prostate needle biop sies for p53 and bcl-2, and PSA recurrence. Materials and Methods: From 1986 to 1993, 335 radical prostatectomies were performed at; our hospital. Of the prostatectomy specimens 199 had been eva luated for p53 and bcl-2 proteins in a prior series. Of 139 patients with b iopsy material available for analysis 129 had enough for evaluation of 1 or bath markers. Prospectively obtained clinical followup data were available , with a mean followup of 6 years. Commercially available antibodies were u sed for immunohistochemical staining. Results: The overall PSA recurrence rate was 37.6% for 199 radical prostate ctomy cases and 37.9% for 129 with biopsy immunohistochemical staining. Sta ining of prostatectomies correlated well with PSA recurrence for p53 (p = 0 .004) and bcl-2 (p = 0.001). However, biopsy staining did not correlate wit h prostatectomy staining or PSA recurrence for either marker. Conclusions: The p53 and bcl-2 biomarkers appear to be important to predict recurrence of prostate cancer when prostatectomy specimens are analyzed bu t this usefulness is not apparent with immunohistochemical staining of pros tate biopsies. This difference may reflect sampling error and/or the hetero geneous nature of prostate cancers, and deserves further study.