title: Expression of E-cadherin in primary endometrial carcinomas: clinicopathological and immunohistochemical analysis of 30 cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Decreased expression of E-cadherin has been associated with poorly differentiated endometrial carcinomas and poorer outcomes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to examine the distribution of E-cadherin immunohistochemical expression in specimens from primary endometrial carcinomas and its relation to classical clinicopathological prognostic factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Surgically-resected tissues of 30 patients with primary endometrial carcinomas were studied. Histological type and grade, depth of myometrial invasion, lymph-vascular space invasion, fallopian tube or ovarian invasion, and the presence of tumoral necrosis were evaluated. Immunohistochemical examination was performed on deparaffinized four-microm-thick sections.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of patients was 65 years (+/- 11.41). The 63.54% of carcinomas were moderately/poorly differentiated. No statistical correlation was found between the score or intensity of E-cadherin immunohistochemical staining (strong or moderate positive expression) and the clinicopathological factors tested.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The association of E-cadherin immunoreactivity with the standard clinicopathological factors seemed to be contradictory. The classical clinicopathological factors remain the most important prognostic parameters.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Elena Venizelou General Maternity State Hospital, Athens, Greece. mnvarras@otenet.gr
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Varras
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Skafida
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vasilakaki
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anastasiadis
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Akrivis
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vrachnis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nikolopoulos
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015820:Cadherins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins