Evaluation of p53 and bax Expression as Prognostic Markers in Invasive Cervical Carcinoma Stage IIB Patients Treated by Radiation Therapy

초록

Purpose: The objective was to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of p53 and bax proteins as prognostic markers in FIGO stage IIb invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix. Methods: Sixty-five cases of squamous cell carcinoma of cervix (stage IIb) diagnosed between October 1996 and December 2003 were analyzed retrospectively for bax and p53 expression determined immunohistochemically and were correlated to the patients overall survival and disease-free survival. Results: The overall 5-year survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were 65.1% and 62.9%. p53 and bax immunoreactivity was seen in 26.2% and 52.3% of cases with variable levels of expression, respectively. In univariate analysis, only p53 positivity correlated with poor survival in DFS (log-rank test p=0.027) but not in multivariated analysis by Coxs regression. p53, age, lymph node status, and bax expressions did not correlated with OS and DFS. Nine cases with the immunophenotype p53+/bax- had a most poor survival. Conclusions: Neither p53 nor bax expression are independent predictors of prognosis in stage IIb cervical squamous cancers. Evaluation of co-expression of them may affect clinical outcome and needs further investigation.