Decreased E-cadherin expression is associated with poor prognosis in patients with prostate cancer.
Decreased levels of the cell-cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin are associated with loss of differentiation in a number of human carcinomas. However, the value of E-cadherin as a prognostic marker in these cancers is largely undetermined. A previous study of E-cadherin levels in prostate cancer revealed that almost 50% of tumors examined had reduced or absent levels of this protein (Umbas et al., Cancer Res., 52: 5104-5109, 1992). To determine the potential prognostic significance of this finding, prostate cancer specimens from 89 patients were evaluated immunohistochemically for E-cadherin expression, and the results were related to histopathological grade, tumor stage, presence of metastases, and survival. As previously observed, a significant inverse correlation was found between E-cadherin expression and tumor grade. Importantly, we also found significant correlations between E-cadherin expression and tumor stage and overall survival. Sixty-three percent of the tumors that extended beyond the prostate capsule (T3-4) versus 33% of the tumors confined to the prostate (T1-2) had aberrant expression (chi 2 = 8.1, P < 0.005). Seventy-six percent of the primary tumors from patients that presented with metastases showed aberrant staining compared to 32% from patients without metastases (chi 2 = 14.9; P < 0.001). The life table analysis showed a significantly higher survival rate for patients with normal staining compared to patients with aberrant expression (chi 2 = 20.4, P < 0.001 by log rank test). Moreover, abnormal expression of E-cadherin correlated significantly with progression after radical prostatectomy (P < 0.005). These results suggest that E-cadherin expression can serve as a prognostic indicator for the biological potential of prostate cancer.
Umbas
R
R
Department of Urology, University Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Isaacs
W B
WB
Bringuier
P P
PP
Schaafsma
H E
HE
Karthaus
H F
HF
Oosterhof
G O
GO
Debruyne
F M
FM
Schalken
J A
JA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015820:Cadherins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D011468:Prostatectomy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D015996:Survival Rate
D015820:Cadherins