title: [A study on the relationship between E-cadherin, β-catenin expression and metastasis and prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To investigate the roles of E-cadherin and β-catenin genes in metastasis and prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin were detected in 112 non-small cell lung cancer tissues and 30 benign pulmonary lesion tissues by immunohistochemical method (LSAB method).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin in lung cancer tissues was significantly lower than that in adjacent non-cancerous lung tissues and benign pulmonary tissues (P < 0.01); The expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin in lung cancer tissues with lymph node and/or distant metastasis was significantly lower than that in those without lymph node and distant metastasis (P < 0.01); The 5-year survival rate in patients with low E-cadherin expression and low β-catenin expression (6.78%) was remarkably lower than that in cases with high expression (6.78% vs 35.85% and 3.78% vs 37.29%) (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Underexpressions of E-cadherin and β-catenin are very common in non-small cell lung cancer, and it may play an important role in the progression and metastasis of lung cancer. Detection of expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin in lung cancer might be helpful to predict prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R.China.
authors.forename: Xiaojun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Qinghua
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Shangfu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lunxu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Niang
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cheng