Bcl-2 oncoprotein expression is increased especially in the portion of small cell carcinoma within the combined type of small cell lung cancer.

Immunohistochemical analysis of Bcl-2 oncoprotein, one of the oncogenes associated with the regulation of programmed cell death, was performed on 12 surgically resected tumors of the combined type of small-cell lung cancer. Ten cases (83%) expressed Bcl-2 oncoprotein within the tumor tissues. Two of them showed its expression in both the small cell carcinoma and non-small cell carcinoma types, and 7 cases exhibited Bcl-2 expression only in the portion of the small cell carcinoma. Considering previous reports indicating a high prevalence of Bcl-2 oncoprotein expression in small cell lung cancer, it is suggested that Bcl-2 oncoprotein even in the combined type of lung cancer may play an important role in tumorigenesis and tumor development and ensuing histological alterations between small cell carcinoma and non-small cell carcinoma types.