title: Focal adhesion kinase and E-cadherin as markers for nodal metastasis in laryngeal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the value of E-cadherin and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) expression in the prediction of cervical lymph node metastases in squamous cell carcinoma of the supraglottic larynx.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemical analysis of retrospectively selected cases. Patients The study population was composed of 95 previously untreated men with squamous cell carcinoma of the supraglottic larynx. Intervention All the patients underwent surgical resection of the tumor and bilateral neck dissection.
  
  
  METHODS
  E-cadherin and FAK expression in relation to nodal metastases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Decreased E-cadherin expression was correlated with the presence of nodal metastases (P = .006). The combination of E-cadherin and FAK expression resulted in a superior accuracy in assessing nodal metastasis (P = .001). Histological grade was also associated with nodal metastases (P = .005). Multivariate analysis confirmed that these parameters were independent predictors of nodal metastases. In addition, the cases with decreased E-cadherin and increased FAK expression presented a significantly reduced disease-specific survival (P = .005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combination of the expression of E-cadherin and FAK could increase our ability to identify patients with clinically negative lymph nodes who are at considerable risk for occult metastases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain. juanpablo.rodrigo@sespa.princast.es
authors.forename: Juan Pablo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Rodrigo
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dominguez
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Suárez
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Canel
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Secades
authors.forename: Maria Dolores
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Chiara
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D051417:Focal Adhesion Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015820:Cadherins; D051417:Focal Adhesion Kinase 1