title: E-cadherin expression in endometrial malignancies: comparison between endometrioid and non-endometrioid carcinomas.
abstract: This study examined the frequency of E-cadherin expression in endometrial biopsy or hysterectomy specimens from patients diagnosed with endometrial adenocarcinoma and in normal endometrial tissue specimens. E-cadherin expression was detected by immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibody to E-cadherin. Specimens were classified as positive when >or= 5% of the tumour cells showed staining for E-cadherin, irrespective of the pattern of staining. Twenty-three endometrioid carcinomas and nine non-endometrioid (four papillary serous and five clear cell) carcinomas were studied, along with 10 normal endometrial tissue specimens as controls. E-cadherin expression was significantly less frequent in non-endometrioid carcinomas compared with endometrioid carcinomas and controls. There was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of E-cadherin expression between endometrioid carcinomas and controls. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that uterine non-endometrioid (papillary serous and clear cell) carcinomas were less likely to express E-cadherin compared with endometrioid carcinomas and normal endometrial tissue. This may help to explain the more aggressive behaviour of non-endometrioid carcinomas.
authors.affiliation: Pathology Department, Sivas State Hospital, Sivas, Turkey. tdeyalta@yahoo.com
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yalta
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Atay
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Atalay
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caydere
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gonultas
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ustun
mesh_terms: D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins