title: Prognostic value of E-cadherin expression in 413 gastric carcinomas.
abstract: E-cadherin is a Ca(2+)-dependent intercellular adhesion molecule known to exert an invasion-suppressor function. In the present study, E-cadherin expression was immunohistochemically investigated in a retrospective series of 413 RO-resected gastric carcinomas using the monoclonal antibody (MAb) 5H9. Of these cases, 108 tumors revealed a preserved E-cadherin expression similar to that of normal gastric mucosa. In 95 tumors, E-cadherin expression was moderately reduced and in 86 tumors highly reduced. In 124 tumors, no or only a very weak dotted expression could be detected. There was a significant correlation between the degree of E-cadherin expression and the grade of tumor differentiation, as well as with histological type according to the Laurén and the WHO classifications. In contrast, no correlation could be demonstrated between E-cadherin expression and the prognostic parameters depth of invasion, lymph node involvement and vascular invasion. As shown by univariate Cox regression analysis, patients with E-cadherin-positive tumors had significantly better 3-and 5-year survival rates than patients with E-cadherin-negative tumors. This prognostic impact remained present in a multivariate Cox regression analysis, including the prognostic parameters pT category, pN category and vascular invasion.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, University of Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Gabbert
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schneiders
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meier
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moll
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Birchmeier
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hommel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015820:Cadherins / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005557:Formaldehyde; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015820:Cadherins; D005557:Formaldehyde