p⁵³ Accumulation AND bcl-2 Overexpression in Nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Can p⁵³accumulation and bcl-2 overexpression be found in nasopharyngeal carcinoma（NPC） concomitantly? Are they correlated with patients' sex, age or clinical stage Is there any intrinsic relationship between p53accumulation and bcl-2 overexpression? This study is aiming at the above three issues. Material and Method: The p53and bcl-2oncoprotein were detected in 83 NPC specimens immunohistochemically. Results:The P⁵³ accumulation and bcl-2 overexpression rates were 77. 1 %and 90. 4 %, respectively. Neither the p⁵³ accumulation nor the bcl-2 overexpression rates significantly different for both sexses, age groups or clinical stages. The nuclear p⁵³and cytoplasmic bcl-2could not only be found in NPC cells but in some precancerous epithelial cells, Conclusion:p⁵³accumulation and bcl-2overexpression rates were both higher in NPCs irrespective of patients' sex, age or clinical stage. These two molecular events always coexisted and seemed to be developed in the early stage of nasopharyngeal carcinogenesis. There was a rank correlation between p⁵³accumulation and bcl-2 overexpression in NPCs. As to the mechanism of this correlation, it should be further investigated.