Nuclear BAG-1 localization and the risk of recurrence after radiation therapy in laryngeal carcinomas

BAG-1 is a multifunctional chaperone modulator may contribute to p53-mediat ed cell cycle arrest. We attempted to investigate whether BAG-1 expression is correlated with prognosis of laryngeal carcinoma patients after radiothe rapy. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed BAG-1 expression was present in all laryngeal carcinomas examined, and its expression pattern varied, i.e. cytoplasmic, nuclear and both these staining types. Patients whose tumors predominantly express nuclear BAG-1 have a significantly poor failure-free survival rate after radiotherapy. We thus propose that nuclear BAG-1 locali zation is a prediction of unfavorable outcome should radiation therapy be u ndertaken for laryngeal carcinoma patients. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Irela nd Ltd. All rights reserved.