Korean J Pathol.  2000 Sep;34(9):615-624.

Immunohistochemical Expression of p53, E-cadherin, and nm23 Proteins in Metastatic Carcinoma of Neck Lymph Node and Corresponding Primary Carcinoma

• Kim JK
• Kwon OJ
• Kim BH

Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate the immunohistochemical expressions of p53, E-cadherin, and nm23 proteins in 114 cases of metastatic carcinoma of the neck lymph node (MTLNCA) and corresponding primary carcinoma (PRCA). The positive expressions of p53, E-cadherin, and nm23 proteins were 62.3%, 58.8% and 64.0%, respectively in PRCA, and 40.4%, 38.6%, and 43.9%, respectively in MTLNCA with significant down-regulation from PRCA to MTLNCA (p<0.05). The down-regulation was correlated with female gender, moderate and poor differentiation, and adenocarcinoma in p53 protein, female gender, respiratory and gastrointestinal carcinoma in E-cadherin protein, and female gender, respiratory carcinoma, moderate differentiation, and squamous cell carcinoma in nm23 protein (p<0.05). There was no significant relationship among expressions of p53, E-cadherin, and nm23 proteins (p<0.05). In
conclusion
, these results suggest that the expressions of p53, E-cadherin, and nm23 proteins seem to be down-regulated from PRCA to MTLNCA and this down-regulation may play a role in invasion and metastasis.

Keyword

Metastatic carcinoma; Neck lymph node; p53; E-cadherin; nm23

MeSH Terms

Adenocarcinoma
Cadherins*
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell
Down-Regulation
Female
Humans
Lymph Nodes*
Neck*
Neoplasm Metastasis
Cadherins