Expression of apoptosis-regulating genes in prostatic carcinoma and their association with tumor prognosis

Objective: To detemine the relationship between expression of apoptosis-regulating genes and prognosis in prostatic carcinoma（Pca）. Methods: The expression of Fas, FasL, bcl-2 and bax in 57 cases of prostatic carcinoma tissues was detected by immunohistochemical staining method. Association with pathological grade, clinical stage and patient survival were studied. Univariate and multivariate analyses were done to determine the independent contributions of these proteins in predicting survival. Results: ①The expression of bax and bcl-2 was both relevant to the grade of Pca, the expression of bax was significantly higher in high-grade tumors than in low-grade tumors（i>P＜0.05）; ②The expression of FasL may play a role in Pca progression, while grade and stage of the tumor were still important prognostic factors. Conclusion: FasL might be related to the prognosis of Pca.