Assessment of P53 BCL-2 and CD34 in premalignant and malignant cervical lesions

Abstract

Background: Cancer cells are characterized by loss of tumor suppressor genes, evasion of apoptosis and an upregulation in angiogenesis. Cervical cancer is the second most prominent cancer amongst young women of reproductive age after breast cancer. With ever increasing knowledge in molecular changes, immunohistochemistry serves as a capable tool for early detection of cervical lesions, the addition of more specific biomarkers to routine diagnosis would improve diagnostic accuracy and unnecessary invasive examination. Aim and Objectives: To assess the morphological expression of P53, bcl-2 and CD34 in normal, pre-malignant and malignant cervical lesions. Material and Methods: This study was conducted to assess the various expressions of these tumor suppressor oncogenes and angiogenesis in normal, pre-malignant and malignant cervical lesions. Acase controlled retrospective study was done with a total of 70 formalin fixed and paraffin wax embedded tissue blocks retrieved from pathology archives; amongst these were 10 normal, 15 Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasm 1 (CIN1), twenty (20) CIN 2 and CIN3, and twenty five(25) Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) confirmed cases of the cervix. Immunohistochemical analysis was carried out on the samples, alongside Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining. Results: The semi-quantitave analysis results were followed by normal, CIN1, CIN2 and 3 and SCC respectively; p53 (16%, 20%, 57% and 84%), bcl-2 (27%, 40%, 50% and 83%) and CD34 (75%, 81%, 87%and 98%). The data therefore provides information that the P53, bcl-2, CD34 are good diagnostic tool to detect SCC from CIN3. Conclusion: The data provides information that IHC markers are useful in differentiating the neoplastic lesions from the invasive carcinoma, but for production of optimum and accurate results, individual markers should not be used alone to avoid bias.

Keywords

• immunohistochemistry
• cin
• scc
• p53
• bcl-2
• cd34