title: Relationship of E-cadherin with cervical lymph node metastasis in laryngeal cancer.
abstract: E-cadherin, a 120 kDa transmembrane protein, plays an important role in malignant progression and tumour differentiation. The loss or reduction in E-cadherin expression has been found in several tumours including laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. The present study aimed to investigate the prognostic implications of changes in expression of the E-cadherin in laryngeal carcinoma. E-cadherin expression was determined by immunohistochemistry in paraffin- embedded tissue specimens from 80 patients. A staining score was given based on the percentage of cells stained (0-100%). E-cadherin expression varied greatly among tissue samples from 2 to 72 (median 25). Using the median expression of E-cadherin as a cut- off 41 (51.3%) tumours were classified in the "low E-cadherin" group and the rest, 39 (48.7%) tumours, consisted the "high E-cadherin" group. We found significant differences in the staining scores of E-cadherin between those tumours with and without nodal metastases (p = 0.025) and advanced clinical stage (TNM stage III and IV) (p = 0.014). The results of a stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that E-cadherin staining score and the location of primary tumour were independent predictors of nodal metastases. The immunohistochemical determination of E-cadherin expression may be useful instrument to characterise the metastatic potential of carcinomas. Larger studies are needed to confirm the role of E-cadherin expression in predicting the behavior of laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas.
authors: Clinical center of Montenegro, Clinic of Otorhinolaryngology and Maxillofacial Surgery, Podgorica, Montenegro. elvir@zvrko.me
authors: Elvir
authors: E
authors: Zvrko
authors: Anton
authors: A
authors: Mikić
authors: Snezana
authors: S
authors: Jancić
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015820:Cadherins / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins