Expression of E-Cadherin and beta-Catenin in Human Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Tongue

Jeon, Jin Ha; Kim, Min Sik; Hwang, Sung Jae; Jung, Sang Hee; Lee, Jong Woo; Cho, Seung Ho; Jung, Ji Han; Kim, Byung Gi

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: It has been suggested that inactivation of the cadherin-mediated cell to cell adhesion system plays a role in the initial steps of cancer invasion and metastasis. We investigated the relationship between the expressions of E-cadherin and beta-catenin to the clinicopathologic findings in squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The expression of the E-cadherin and beta-catenin was examined immunohistochemically in 39 squamous cell carcinomas of the tongue and 5 cases of normal tissue.
RESULTS
The expression of the E-cadherin and beta-catenin was reduced or absent in 15/39 (39%), 20/39 (51%) cases of the tumors examined, respectively. The reduced expression of the E-cadherin was associated with decreased histologic differentiation (p=0.001) and lymph node metastasis (p=0.006) and the reduced expression of the beta-catenin with decreased histologic differentiation (p=0.001). There were significant correlation between E-cadherin and beta-catenin expression (p=0.001).
CONCLUSION
The present study demonstrates a significant down-regulation of E-cadherin, and that the beta-catenin expression in squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue is specifically associated with decreased histologic differentiation and lymph node metastasis. These results suggest that E-cadherin and beta-catenin may be useful markers of lymph node metastatic potential and valuable prognostic markers in the early stage of the disease.