title: Combined E-cadherin, alpha-catenin, and beta-catenin expression is a favorable prognostic factor in endometrial carcinoma.
abstract: Cell adhesion molecules, such as epithelial cadherin (E-cadherin), might be involved in the processes of tumor invasion and differentiation. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of E-cadherin, alpha-catenin, and beta-catenin in endometrial carcinoma and to determine the prognostic value of these factors. We have investigated the expression of E-cadherin, alpha-catenin, and beta-catenin by immunohistochemistry in 225 endometrial carcinomas. The correlation between the E-cadherin and the catenins and their correlation with several histologic and clinical parameters were analyzed. Negative E-cadherin, alpha-catenin, and beta-catenin expression was observed in 44%, 47%, and 33% of endometrial carcinomas, respectively, and was correlated with histologic FIGO grade 3 (P < 0.001). Negative E-cadherin expression was more often observed in nonendometrioid endometrial carcinomas (NEECs) than in endometrioid carcinomas (75% versus 43%; P= 0.04). Combined positive E-cadherin, alpha-catenin, and beta-catenin expression was an independent positive prognostic factor for survival in patients with grade 1-2 carcinomas (P= 0.02). Negative E-cadherin expression was found to be associated with histologic grade 3 and with NEEC. Combined positive E-cadherin, alpha-catenin, and beta-catenin expression was a significant prognostic factor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands. a.n.scholten@lumc.nl
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Scholten
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aliredjo
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Creutzberg
authors.forename: V T H B M
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Smit
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018269:Carcinoma, Endometrioid / Q000175:diagnosis; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D051178:alpha Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015820:Cadherins; D051178:alpha Catenin; D051176:beta Catenin