Expression of tumour-suppressor gene Rb, apoptosis-suppressing protein Bcl-2 and c-Myc have no independent prognostic value in renal adenocarcinoma

Abstract

Summary The expression of retinoblastoma (Rb), c-Myc and Bcl-2 proteins was studied by immunohistochemical methods in 104 cases of renal adenocarcinoma. One tumour was completely negative for Rb protein and altered expression pattern was detected in 36% of cases. A low fraction of Rb-positive nuclei was related to high grade (P = 0.016) and high mitotic index (P = 0.012). Twenty-eight per cent of the tumours expressed c-Myc in cancer cell nuclei and 87% showed cytoplasmic positivity. Cytoplasmic expression of c-Myc was related to high grade (P= 0.002), while nuclear expression of c-Myc was related to small tumour diameter (P = 0.034), low T category (P = 0.04), low mitotic index (P = 0.019) and expression of c-ErbB-2 (P = 0.0007). Overexpression of c-myc predicted favourable outcome in MO tumours (P = 0.0157). Bcl-2 was expressed in 20% of tumours and it was related to small tumour size (P<0.0001), low T category (P<0.0001), lack of venous invasion (P= 0.008), node negativity (P = 0.015) and absence of metastasis (P = 0.017). In multivariate analysis the expression of Rb, Bcl-2 and c-Myc had no independent prognostic value over T category (P<0.001), mitotic index (P = 0.008) and combined nuclear grade (P = 0.056).

The PTEN regulator DJ‐1 is associated with hTERT expression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

“…Previous studies in RCC have not included DJ-1 analysis for comparison and few observations have been presented for cMyc, except that immunohistochemical detection of cMyc had no independent prognostic value 48 Regarding hTERT one study found no correlation between hTERT RNA expression and stage or presence of metastasis 23 and in another study telomerase activity was unrelated to stage or grade 49 supporting the data we present here.…”

Introduction of Clusterin Gene into Human Renal Cell Carcinoma Cells Enhances Their Resistance to Cytotoxic Chemotherapy through Inhibition of Apoptosis both in vitro and in vivo

“…In fact, recent studies reported that apoptosis-related molecules, such as p53, Bcl-2, Bax and c-Myc, play no functional role in the progression of RCC. [2][3][4][5] These findings suggest that RCC may acquire antiapoptotic activity against several therapies through a unique mechanism.…”

“…1) Moreover, different from other malignant tumors, there was no significant association between the prognosis of patients with RCC and the expression of apoptosis-related molecules, such as p53, Bcl-2, Bax and c-Myc. [2][3][4][5] Accordingly, the mechanism of resistance to therapy-induced apoptosis in RCC remains largely unknown.…”

Histopathological Evaluation of Apoptosis in Cancer

“…142,143 A similar low frequency of bcl-2 expression is also found in transitional cell carcinomas of the renal pelvis and in renal cell adenocarcinoma. 144,145 Other Tumors…”