Combined loss of E-cadherin and aberrant β-catenin protein expression correlates with a poor prognosis for small intestinal adenocarcinomas.
Small intestinal adenocarcinomas (SIACs) are rare, and their molecular pathogenesis is largely unknown. To define the roles of E-cadherin and β-catenin, we performed immunohistochemistry for E-cadherin and β-catenin in 194 surgically resected SIACs with tissue microarrays and compared the data with clinicopathologic factors, including survival rates of patients with SIAC. Loss of E-cadherin expression and aberrant β-catenin expression were observed in 41.8% (81/194 cases) and 40.7% (79/194 cases) of SIACs, respectively. Combined loss of E-cadherin and aberrant β-catenin expression was observed in 24.2% (47/194 cases) of SIACs, and this feature was most frequently observed in mucinous adenocarcinomas and signet ring cell carcinomas (P < .001), poorly differentiated and undifferentiated carcinomas (P < .001), and tumors with advanced pT classification (P = .03). Survival times for patients with SIAC with both loss of E-cadherin and aberrant β-catenin expression (median, 13.9 months) were significantly shorter than those for patients without aberrant expression of both proteins (49.9 months), as determined by univariate (P < .001) and multivariate (P = .01) analyses. In conclusion, loss of E-cadherin and aberrant β-catenin expression correlate with poorly differentiated tumors, advanced T classification, and decreased patient survival time; therefore, it could be a prognostic factor in patients with SIAC.
Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
Hee Jin
HJ
Lee
Ok-Jun
OJ
Lee
Kee-Taek
KT
Jang
Young Kyung
YK
Bae
Joon-Yong
JY
Chung
Dae Woon
DW
Eom
Joon Mee
JM
Kim
Eunsil
E
Yu
Seung-Mo
SM
Hong
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018279:Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D015996:Survival Rate; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D055815:Young Adult; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D051176:beta Catenin