Urinary bladder cancer is the 9th most common type of cancer and the 13th most common cause of death worldwide. C-erbB-4 is a class of oncogenes plays a role in cancer development. The present work was performed to assess C-erbB-4 oncogene amplification by PCR technology and its correlation with p53 and bcl-2. This study included 50 male patients (10 controls and 40 urinary bladder cancer patients). The bladder cancer patients include 20 specimens diagnosed as transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) and 20 specimens diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The results revealed that 7 (35%) of both TCC and SCC showed c-erb-B2 gene amplification. 12 (60%) of TCC and 6 (30%) of SCC showed positive expression of p53. 11 (55%) of TCC and 6 (30%) of SCC showed positive Bcl-2 expression. A direct statistically significant association was detected between c-erb-B2 expression and Bcl-2 and p53 expression in TCC and SCC specimens. Seven (35%) of TCC showed c-erb-B2 gene amplification and expression of both p53 and Bcl-2. Five (25%) of the examined SCC specimens showed c-erb-B2 gene amplification and positive expression for both p53 and Bcl-2. The results indicated that a direct statistically significant association was detected in TCC group between amplification of c-erb-B2 gene by PCR and expressionof p53 and Bcl-2 by immunohistochemistry.
Keywords: Bladder cancer; bcl-2; c-erb-B2 gene; p53.
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