Background: DCIS is a malignant proliferation of mammary ductal epithelial cells without invasion beyond the basement membrane. Bcl-2, bax, bcl-xl and p53 are implicated in regulation of apoptosis. This study aimed to clarify the rokle of these gene products in DCIS. Patients and methods: Immunohistochemical staining of 13 cases of DCIS with bcl-2, bax, bcl-xl and p53 was performed. Results: P53 was -ve in all low grades, +ve in 66.7% intermediate grade, and in all high grade DCIS. Bcl-2 was +ve in all DCIS with variable intensities. Bax was +ve in 80% of low grade, 100% of intermediate grade, and 100% of high grade DCIS. Bcl-xl was +ve in 80% of low grade, and in all intermediate and high grade DCIS. P53 was inversely correlated with bcl-2 expression in DCIS (p<0.02). Insignificant +ve correlation was present between p53 and bax expression and between p53 and bcl-xl expression in DCIS. An inverse correlation was present between bcl-2 and bcl-xl expression and between bcl-2 and bax expression in DCIS (p<0.01 for each). Positive correlation was present between bax and bcl-xl expression (p<0.000) in DCIS. Conclusion: p53 mutation is an early event in the evolution of BC and its expression correlates with high grade lesions. Strong +ve correlation between bax and bcl-xl, but the prognostic value of bcl-2 protein family in DCIS is still in to more studies to be clarified.