Prognostic value of E-cadherin, beta-catenin, P120ctn in patients with transitional cell bladder cancer.
BACKGROUND
Loss of E-cadherin-catenin mediated adhesion is known to play a major role in tumour progression in many human carcinomas.


METHODS
By means of immunohistochemistry, we have investigated the expression of E-cadherin, beta-catenin and p120ctn in 102 transitional cell bladder carcinomas (TCCs) and statistically analysed these expressions with known clinicopathological parameters and patient survival.


RESULTS
Abnormal expression of E-cadherin, beta-catenin and p120ctn was associated with high grade and high stage of TCCs (p < 0.001). Abnormal beta-catenin expression demonstrated a statistically significant correlation with poor patient survival (p = 0.03) while abnormal E-cadherin expression was associated with poor survival in patients with muscle invasive TCCs (p = 0.025). However, in multivariate statistical analysis a suggestive association with poor survival was observed only for E-cadherin (p = 0.06). Simultaneous abnormal expression of all the molecules demonstrated an association of suggestive significance with poor patient survival (p = 0.07).


CONCLUSIONS
E-cadherin expression may be a useful prognostic marker in patients with invasive TCCs.
Nakopoulou
L
L
Department of Pathology, Medical School, University of Athens, 75 Mikras Assias Str., Athens GR-115 27, Greece. lnakopou@cc.uoa.gr
Zervas
A
A
Gakiopoulou-Givalou
H
H
Constantinides
C
C
Doumanis
G
G
Davaris
P
P
Dimopoulos
C
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D051177:Catenins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015534:Trans-Activators; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D051176:beta Catenin; D000095002:Delta Catenin
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D051177:Catenins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051176:beta Catenin; D000095002:Delta Catenin; C000722347:CTNND1 protein, human