RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To study the expression of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) and survivin proteins in anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) and there clinical significance. METHODS: The morphologic characteristics were studied by routine light microscopy. Immunohistochemical staining for ALK and survivin proteins was performed using LSAB method. RESULTS: ALK protein was positive in 51 cases (63%) and negative in 30 cases (37%) of the 81 cases of ALCL studied. The prognosis of patients with ALK protein expression was better than those without ALK expression (P < 0.05). As for survivin protein, there were various degrees of expression in all the 77 ALCL cases studied. High level of survivin protein expression was observed in 33 cases (42.9%), while low level of expression was seen in 44 cases (57.1%). The expression of survivin protein did not correlate with that of ALK protein (P > 0.05). The survival rate was significantly lower in patients with high survivin protein expression (P < 0.05). In cases with ALK protein expression, the prognosis was less favorable if there was also high co-expression of survivin protein (P < 0.05). In ALK protein negative cases, prognosis did not significantly correlate with the expression of survivin protein (P > 0.05). In addition, multivariate analysis confirmed the prognosis value of ALK protein expression, survivin protein expression and constitutional symptoms. CONCLUSION: Survivin protein expression can serve as an independent prognostic predictor of unfavorable clinical outcome in patients with ALCL, especially when ALK protein is positive.