Prognostic Significance Evaluation of BCL2 and Ki-67 Expression in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Patients

Background: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common lymphatic neoplasm, accounting for about 30–40% of non-Hodgkin s lymphoma cases. DLBCL is a progressive disease with clinical, genetic and molecular heterogeneity. The prognostic value of BCL2 and Ki-67 in DLBCL patients has been controversial.Method: In this study, we investigated the correlation of BCL2 and Ki-67 expression with clinical features such as age, sex, B symptoms and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, subtypes of DLBCL, staging and prognosis in 36 cases of DLBCL. The expression of BCL2 and Ki-67 was measured by immunohistochemistry.Results: There was no significant correlation between BCL2 expression and staging (p = 0.082), but Ki-67 expression had a significant correlation with staging (p = 0.002). There was no statistically significant correlation between BCL2 and Ki-67 with prognosis of the disease. Our statistical analysis showed a correlation between the germinal center B-cell (GCB) and non- GCB subtypes with BCL2 expression (p = 0.024), so that patients with non- GCB subtype had a higher BCL2 expression. Our study also demonstrated that there was a significant relationship between BCL2 and Ki-67 expression, so that with the increase of the expression of a marker, another increases (p =0.045).Conclusion: BCL2 and Ki-67 expressions were not associated with prognosis. Overexpression of Ki-67 was associated with higher clinical stages. BCL2 expression is higher in non-GCB subtype of DLBCL. Therefore, our study clearly shows that the subsequent studies of BCL2 and other biomarkers in the DLBCL should be based on the DLBCL subtypes

Prognostic Significance Evaluation of BCL2 and Ki-67 Expression in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Patients Keywords:

Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) , Bcl2 , Ki-67 , immunohistochemistry