J Korean Breast Cancer Soc.  2004 Sep;7(3):148-153. 10.4048/jkbcs.2004.7.3.148.

Expression of E-cadherin and Clinical Correlation in Patients with Breast Carcinoma

• Kim JM
• Kim TY
• Song D
• Kim SY
• Baek MJ
• Lee MS
• Kim CH
• Yang SH
• Lee MH
• Cho MS

• KMID: 2006648
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4048/jkbcs.2004.7.3.148

Abstract

PURPOSE
E-cadherin is a Ca (2+)-dependent cell adhesion molecule that plays an important role in normal growth and development via the mediation of homotypic, homophilic cell-cell interactions. Recent studies suggest that E-cadherin may also be important in neoplastic progression, particularly as a suppressor of invasion. METHODS: To evaluate the expression of E-cadherin, according to the histopathological features and the relation between E-cadherin and prognosis in breast carcinoma, immunohistochemical staining, using mouse HECD-1 was performed for 66 cases of breast carcinoma. RESULTS: The breast carcinomas showed loss or marked reduction of E-cadherin expression in 42 (63.6%) of the 66 cases. In a multivariate analysis, E-cadherin expression had no independent prognostic value, while the axillary lymph node status, tumor diameter, and TNM stage were independent prognostic factors. The results indicate that E-cadherin expression was related to several histological features in breast cancer, but had no independent prognostic value over standard prognostic factors. No significant correlation was found between E-cadherin expression and tumor size, stage, nuclear grade, lymph node status, histologic type, or hormonal status. CONCLUSION: The loss or marked reduction of E-cadherin expression in breast carcinomas was not related to the prog nosis of the patients.

Keyword

Breast cancer; E-cadherin

MeSH Terms

Animals
Breast Neoplasms*
Breast*
Cadherins*
Cell Adhesion
Growth and Development
Humans
Lymph Nodes
Mice
Multivariate Analysis
Negotiating
Prognosis
Cadherins