p53 and c-jun expression in urinary bladder transitional cell carcinoma: correlation with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) histological grade and clinical stage

OBJECTIVE: To investigate p53 and c-jun oncoproteins and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in transitional cell urinary bladder carcinomas (TCCs) and to determine their relationships to tumour grade, stage and survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression of p53, c-jun and PCNA was studied using immunohistochemistry in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues in a series of 110 TCCs. RESULTS: 58% of our cases were positive for p53 and 88% for c-jun. A statistically very significant correlation (p < 0.0001) was observed between p53 and c-jun (r = 0.781), p53 and PCNA (r = 0.772), c-jun and PCNA (r = 0.831) as well as between each of the two oncoproteins and the histological grade and clinical stage (p < 0.001). There was no correlation of either p53, PCNA or c-jun with clinical outcome in terms of patients survival. CONCLUSION: p53 and c-jun proteins' overexpression are strongly related to rapid tumour cell proliferation and hence with aggressive growth in urinary bladder TCC. PCNA score remains an important prognostic index in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.