J Korean Soc Coloproctol.  2008 Apr;24(2):91-99. 10.3393/jksc.2008.24.2.91.

Clinical Significance of E-cadherin and beta-catenin Complex Expression in T2 Colorectal Cancer

• Kim JS
• Ko YT
• Hur H
• Min BS
• Kim NK
• Sohn SK
• Cho CH
• Ahn CB
• Kim H

• KMID: 1479321
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3393/jksc.2008.24.2.91

Abstract

PURPOSE
Expression of adhesion molecules is significantly correlated with the invasion and the metastasis of colorectal cancer. The aim of this study is to identify the importance of the expressions of E-cadherin and beta-catenin as a prognostic factor in T2 colorectal cancer. METHODS: Forty-five cases of primary T2 colorectal cancers were selected between February 1997 and February 2000. We evaluated the membranous expressions of E-cadherin and beta-catenin by using immunohistochemisty and analyzed the relationship with various clinicopathologic parameters. RESULTS: Loss of membranous E-cadherin was significantly associated with histologic differentiation (P=0.023), vascular invasion (P<0.001), lymphatic invasion (P<0.001), and lymph-node metastases (P=0.001). Similar patterns were observed in the expression of beta-catenin. The correlation between the E-cadherin and the beta-catenin expressions was statistically significant (P<0.001). In the multivariate analysis, neither the loss of expression of E-cadherin nor beta-catenin is a risk factor affecting lymph-node metastasis in T2 colorectal cancers. However, there were significant differences in the 5-year disease-free survival rates between the positive (+/-, +) and the negative (-) expression groups of E-cadherin and beta-catenin (P=0.015, 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that loss of membranous expression of E-cadherin and beta-catenin molecules correlates with poor prognostic factors and indicates invasion and metastasis in T2 colorectal cancer, which, therefore, might be predictive of short survival in these patients.

Keyword

E-cadherin; beta-catenin; Colorectal cancer; Lymph-node metastasis

MeSH Terms

beta Catenin
Cadherins
Colorectal Neoplasms
Disease-Free Survival
Humans
Multivariate Analysis
Neoplasm Metastasis
Risk Factors
Cadherins
beta Catenin