A subgroup of tumor that has received attention is triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which presents phenotype of negative estrogen receptor, negative progesterone receptor and has no overexpression of HER2. TP53 acts as a tumor suppressor limiting the proliferation of damaged cells. A polymorphic site (rs1042522) of TP53 encodes either an arginine or a proline amino acid, but its biological significance remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate this variant and its expression in search for a possible involvement in TNBC susceptibility and clinical outcome. Genetic polymorphism was evaluated in 50 patients and 115 controls by PCR based methodology and immunohistochemistry was done with monoclonal antibody. Case-control study showed no positive or negative association (OR= 0.95; CI95%= 0.48-1.89). Comparison of genotypes and clinical outcome showed no significant results. Despite most of patients presented p53 positive staining by immunohistochemistry, there was no significant association in relation to prognostic parameters. Results demonstrated a lack of association between codon 72 polymorphism, susceptibility and prognosis of TNBC. Immunohistochemistry analysis should be done more carefully, since most of the patients had the somatic mutation of p53, which could be an indicator of prognostic value in TNBC.

INTRODUÇÃO: O gene bcl-2 codifica uma proteína envolvida no processo de controle da apoptose. Inicialmente descrito em linfomas e posteriormente em tecidos epiteliais, sua expressão é freqüentemente encontrada em carcinomas de mama, associada a fatores de prognóstico favorável. Como a punção aspirativa por agulha fina (PAAF) tem sido utilizada como um método confiável na investigação de carcinomas de mama, acessamos a expressão de bcl-2 em material assim obtido e correlacionamos sua positividade com o grau histológico, avaliado em material cirúrgico correspondente, das respectivas pacientes, seguindo a classificação de SBR (Scarff, Bloom e Richardson). OBJETIVOS: Avaliar a expressão de bcl-2 em PAAF e correlacionar com grau histológico. METODOLOGIA: A positividade do bcl-2 foi analisada, por imunocitoquímica, em 118 casos consecutivos de PAAF e correlacionada com grau histológico em material cirúrgico correspondente, segundo classificação de SBR. RESULTADOS: A positividade para bcl-2 foi encontrada em 77 de 118 casos de PAAF (65,25%) e foi inversamente proporcional ao grau histológico (84,37%, p = 0,0022). CONCLUSÃO: A expressão de bcl-2 em PAAF correlaciona-se com fator de bom prognóstico. O índice de positividade encontrado, assim como a correlação inversa com grau histológico, está de acordo com dados publicados previamente. O fácil e rápido manejo do material obtido por PAAF permite a aplicação de técnicas complementares, de maneira confiável, como demonstra este estudo. A positividade do bcl-2 correlacionada com baixo grau histológico, assim como com outros fatores de bom prognóstico, pode, no futuro, proporcionar informação preditiva e prognóstica para pacientes candidatas a tratamento quimioterápico neo-adjuvante.

INTRODUCTION: The bcl-2 gene encodes a protein that is involved in cell death regulation. Initially described in lymphomas, and later in epithelial tissues, its expression is often found in breast cancer, in association with favorable prognostic factors. Because fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy has been established as a reliable method for the diagnosis and biologic characterization of breast cancer, we assessed bcl-2 expression on FNAs from primary breast cancer and evaluated its correlation with the corresponding histologic grade, scored on the subsequent surgical specimen, following the Scarff, Bloom and Richardson method (SBR). OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the bcl-2 protein expression on FNAs and correlate it with histologic grade on paraffin embedded material. METHODS: Bcl-2 expression was evaluated retrospectively by immunocytochemistry on 118 consecutive FNAs from patients with primary breast cancer. Histologic grade was assessed according to the SBR classification, on surgical specimen material from the same patients that underwent surgical resection of the lesion. A correlation was established. RESULTS: Bcl-2 was expressed in 77 of 118 FNAs (65.25%) and was correlated with histologic grade (p = 0,0022). CONCLUSIONS: Bcl-2 expression, evaluated by immunocytochemistry on FNAs from primary breast carcinoma, correlates with favorable prognostic factor. The positivity rate, as well as the inverse histologic grade correlation, is in agreement with previous published data. As FNA biopsy is used increasingly as a primary tool in the diagnosis of breast carcinoma, bcl-2 evaluation by immunocytochemistry on FNA may provide, in a near future, in addition to other biologic variables, useful information for prognostic and predictive purposes, particularly in patients considered as candidates for neo-adjuvant treatment.