Expression of cell regulatory proteins C-erb B-2 and Bcl-2 in epithelial ovarian tumors

ABSTRACT

Ovarian cancer remains the leading cause of death from gynecologic malignancy in many countries. Lack of symptoms in the early stages of disease with consequent delay in diagnosis continues to result in poor overall survival. The expression of cell regulatory proteins was studied in an attempt to find the role of these proteins in differential diagnosis and progression of ovarian tumors. Sixty five cases with epithelial ovarian tumors [35 serous, 24 mucinous, 4 cases endometroid carcinomas and 2 cases were undifferentiated tumors were evaluated for expression of c-erbB-2 and bcl-2 by immunohistochemical technique and correlated with clinical parameters such as type, grade, and stage-Expression of c-erbB2 was significantly differed among the various types of ovarian tumors [p=0.01], highly expressed in undifferentiated, high grade, and advanced stage tumors in contrast to its weak expression or loss in benign, variety. While the bcl-2 was significantly lost in more aggressive tumors but strong expression was observed in benign lesions .p=0.01. In ovarian tumors, proto-oncogene c-erbB-2 and antiapoptotic gene bcl-2 had a role in behavior and differentiation of these tumors