title: Clinico-pathological correlation of E-cadherin expression at the invasive tumor front of Indian oral squamous cell carcinomas: An immunohistochemical study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent studies have indicated that although malignant cells at the invasive tumor front, bare morphological resemblance to the cells at central portion of the tumor, their molecular character differs significantly. E-cadherin is a cell-cell adhesion molecule that connects epithelial cells. This study attempts to correlate the E-cadherin expression at the invasive tumor front with tumor differentiation along with its clinico-pathological parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemical staining with E-cadherin was carried out on archival cases of primary oral squamous cell carcinomas (n = 30). The E-cadherin expression at the invasive tumor front was analyzed and was linked to clinico-pathological parameters including patient prognosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The downregulation of E-cadherin expression at the invasive tumor edge when compared with patient's prognosis yielded a significant correlation (P = 0.041) but its correlation with the degree of differentiation determined was not significant (P = 0.27). Also, its association with tumor size and lymph node status was negative.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Loss of E-cadherin expression at the invasive tumor front is an important event in the progression of oral squamous cell carcinomas. Tumors with a loss of expression of E-cadherin are those which had a poor prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Sudha Rustagi Dental College, Faridabad, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mehendiratta
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Manipal, India.
authors.forename: Monica Charlotte
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Solomon
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, India.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Boaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Vasudeva
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Guddattu
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, India.
authors.forename: Aashima
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohindra
keywords: Differentiation; E-cadherin; invasive tumor front; oral cancer; prognosis