RESUMO
We studied Bcl-2 proto-oncogene expression in dysplastic and malignant lesions of the uterine cervix and looked for a relation between its incidence and tumor histopathologic type and tumor differentiation grade. We used immunohistochemical reaction with a Bcl-2 specific monoclonal antibody in order to identify this protein in 40 patients' biopsies. We noticed a Bcl-2 nuclear immunoreaction in high differentiated squamous carcinomas, whereas a positive cytoplasmic reaction of a granular pattern was registered in low differentiated types. Distribution and intensity of Bcl-2 reaction final product was correlated with tumor differentiation grade in 29 of all studied cases (72.5%). Immunostaining technique may be an important adjuvant factor for a more accurate prognosis.