[Subserous gallbladder carcinoma: expression of cadherine-catenine complex].
BACKGROUND
Subserous gallbladder carcinoma is difficult to diagnose and treat. There are no tissue markers with prognostic value in this type of tumor.


OBJECTIVE
To study the immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin alpha and beta catenin in subserous gallbladder carcinoma.


METHODS
One hundred seventeen subjects (103 women and 14 men aged 62 and 69 years as a mean, respectively), were studied. Thirty five gallbladder samples without evidence of cancer were used as controls. Expression of markers was studied with standard immunohistochemical techniques for formalin fixed and paraffin embedded tissue.


RESULTS
Ninety seven percent of tumors were adenocarcinoma. A lower or absent expression of E-cadherin, alpha catenin and beta catenin was observed in 26, 33 and 29% of tumors, respectively. Actuarial five years survival was 37%. No association between macroscopic features of the tumor and survival was observed. Well differentiated tumors had a 73% survival, whereas less differentiated tumors had a 30% survival. Tumors with a normal expression of the markers had a slightly better survival, although not significant (p = 0.06).


CONCLUSIONS
Approximately 30% of subserous gallbladder carcinoma have an abnormal expression of E-cadherin, alpha catenin and beta catenin. This abnormal expression has no relationship with prognosis and is probably secondary to the aberrant genic expression of the tumor.
Roa
Iván
I
Departamentos de Anatomía Patológica y Cirugía, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la Frontera. iroa@ufro.cl
Ibacache
Gilda
G
Melo
Angélica
A
Morales
Erick
E
Villaseca
Miguel
M
Araya
Juan
J
Roa
Juan
J
Guzmán
Pablo
P
de Aretxabala
Xabier
X
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018284:Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005706:Gallbladder Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism; D051178:alpha Catenin; D051176:beta Catenin
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C495273:CTNNA1 protein, human; C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051178:alpha Catenin; D051176:beta Catenin