The co-expression of p53/bcl-2 was an independent predictor of patient outcome and had a prognostic value superior to both parameters considered separately. The rate of apoptosis mainly counterbalanced proliferative activity but appeared not to be significantly influenced by p53, bcl-2, and bax.

Although expression of p53 and bcl-2 was found to be clinically relevant in univariate analysis, only p53 but not bcl-2 was an independent predictor of patient outcome. This superiority of p53 in multivariate analysis points to its central role within cell cycle and death regulation, with which it influences two important parameters of tumor progression.