Expression of bcl-2 Protein in Gastric Carcinomas

In order to further study the role of bcl-2protein in gastric carcinogenesis and tumor progression,an immunohistochemical study of bcl-2 protein expression in 50 cases of gastric carcinoma and its relation to clinical status,pathomorphological parameters was performed. Results showed:41 cases <82%)were positive for bcl-2 proteinstaining which was localized in the cytoplasm and nuclear membrance of tumor cells.The rate of bcl-2 protein expression had no correlation to the age of pabents,sex,tumor size,lymph node status,clinical stage (P>0.05 for each).It was strongly associated with intestinal-type tumors and poorly differentiated tumors.Our results suggest that bcl-2 protein expression appears to be specifically associated with development of intestinal-type gastric carcinoma,bcl-2 protein expression might play a role of in the early development/promotion and phenotypic differentiation of gastric carcinomas but not in tumor progression.