title: Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of epithelial mesenchymal transition-related protein expression in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to examine the patterns of expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. The clinicopathological and prognostic value of these markers was also evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  We detected the expression status of three EMT-related proteins, ie, E-cadherin, vimentin, and N-cadherin, by immunohistochemistry in consecutive intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma specimens from 96 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of loss of the epithelial marker E-cadherin, and acquisition of mesenchymal markers, vimentin and N-cadherin, in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma was 43.8%, 37.5% and 57.3%, respectively. Altered expression of EMT markers was associated with aggressive tumor behavior, including lymph node metastasis, undifferentiated-type histology, advanced tumor stage, venous invasion, and shorter overall survival. Moreover, loss of E-cadherin was retained as an independent prognostic factor for patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in multivariate analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that the EMT process is associated with tumor progression and a poor outcome in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and inhibition of EMT might offer novel promising molecular targets for the treatment of affected patients.
authors.affiliation: Huzhou Central Hospital, Zhejiang Huzhou.
authors.forename: Xing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zishu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Licheng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Guolei
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Weimin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhou
keywords: epithelial-mesenchymal transition; expression; immunohistochemistry; intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma; prognosis