title: Serum-soluble E-cadherin fragments in lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  E-cadherin, also known as uvomorulin or cell-CAM 120/80, is one of the subclasses of cadherins, CA(2+)-dependent cell adhesion molecules. Several recent studies have suggested that loss of E-cadherin may be associated with tumor progression, such as in lung, gastric, hepatocellular, breast and prostatic carcinoma. Assessment of E-cadherin serum levels in lung cancer showed a relation to histologic type.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using an enzyme immunoassay, we determined E-cadherin serum levels in 79 patients affected with lung cancer (stage I-IV), 9 patients with breast cancer, 23 patients with different benign diseases, and 20 healthy patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At a specificity level of 90%, E-cadherin diagnostic sensitivity was 66.6%, 47.6% and 43.7% in patients affected with squamous cell carcinoma, small cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preliminary results suggest the use of serum E-cadherin as a prospective tumor marker.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Patologia Generale e Oncologia, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cioffi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gazzerro
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Di Finizio
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Vietri
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Macchia
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Puca
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Molinari
mesh_terms: D015820:Cadherins / Q000097:blood*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins