TY - JOUR
TI - Prognostic significance of apoptotic cell death in bladder cancer: A tissue microarray study on 179 urothelial carcinomas from cystectomy specimens
AU - Karamitopoulou, E.
AU - Rentsch, C.A.
AU - Markwalder, R.
AU - Vallan, C.
AU - Thalmann, G.N.
AU - Brunner, T.
JO - EMC - Toxicologie-Pathologie
PY - 2010
VL - 42
TODO - 1
SP - 37-42
PB - Lippincott Williams and Wilkins
SN - null
TODO - 10.3109/00313020903434397
TODO - null
TODO - Aims: To assess the prognostic significance of apoptosis related markers in bladder cancer. Methods: A tissue microarray containing 179 bladder carcinomas from cystectomy specimens was analysed immunohistochemically for active caspase-3, single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), p53, Bcl-2, Bax, and COX-2, in correlation to clinicopathological factors. Results: Active caspase-3, ssDNA, p53, Bax and COX-2 were more frequently observed among high grade and higher stage (≥T2) carcinomas compared with low grade and lower stage (T1) tumours. On the contrary, Bcl-2 was more frequently detected in T1 than in ≥T2 carcinomas. Active caspase-3 correlated with a better survival of the patients. Conclusions: The decreased detection of active caspase-3 and ssDNA and the increased presence of Bcl-2 in T1 carcinomas suggest that alterations in interrelated apoptosis markers may play an important role in the progression of urothelial carcinoma from a superficially infiltrating to a muscle invading tumour and would help to better characterise a subpopulation of T1 carcinomas that could profit from early cystectomy or more aggressive adjuvant chemotherapy. Active caspase-3 might be an important prognostic factor in bladder cancer. © 2010 Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia.
ER -