[Expression of the genes FHIT, Bcl-2 and Bax in breast infiltrating ductal carcinoma and clinicopathological significance thereof].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the expression of the genes fragile histidine triad (FHIT), Bcl-2, and Bax, biological markers of breast infiltrating ductal carcinoma in this carcinoma and clinicopathological significance thereof.

METHODS

The clinical data of 100 patients with breast infiltrating ductal carcinoma, all females, aged 435 (28 - 92), were collected. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the protein expression of FHIT, Bcl-2 and Bax in the carcinoma tissues resected during operation.

RESULTS

The protein expression rates of FHIT, Bcl-2 and Bax in the tumor tissues were 73%, 50%, and 34% respectively. The disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) of the FHIT positive patients were 81.8 months and 123.6 months, both significantly longer than those of the FHIT-negative patients (27.7 months and 74 months, both P < 0.05). The DFS of the Bcl-2-positive patients was 83 months, significantly longer than that of the Bcl-2-negative patients (45 months, P < 0.05). The mean DFS of the Bcl-2-positive patients who received postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy was 54.8 months, significantly longer than that of the Bcl-2-negative patients who received postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy (41.6 months). The mean DFS and OS of the Bcl-2-negative patients receiving CAF regimen were 55 months and 58.8 months respectively, both longer than those of the Bcl-2-negative patients receiving other regimens (27 months and 36 months respectively). However, the expression of Bax failed to show correlation with the prognosis of breast infiltrating ductal carcinoma.

CONCLUSION

Expression of FHIT and expression of Bcl-2 are positively correlated to the DFS and OS of the breast infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Bax is not predictive to the prognosis of breast infiltrating ductal carcinoma.