Korean J Urol.
1999 Dec;40(12):1615-1619.
Significance of E-cadherin Expression in the Tissue of Bladder Cancer
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Urology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Abstract
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PURPOSE: Cadherins are a family of transmembranous glycoproteins involved in intercellular adhesion. E-cadherin, an epithelium specific cadherin, plays a major role in the maintenance of epithelial tissue and therefore in neoplastic progression of many human carcinomas. In order to search for more accurate prognostic factors, we investigated the relationship between decreased E-cadherin expression and tumor grade, stage, recurrence and progression in bladder tumors.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
62 formalin fixed paraffin embedded specimens which were taken from 34 patients with transitional cell carcinoma who underwent TURB, partial cystectomy, radical cystectomy were retrospectively analyzed with E-cadherin immunohistochemical staining from January 1989 to December 1997. Correlations were evaluated between E-cadherin immunohistochemical staining and grade, stage, recurrence and progression.
RESULTS
Decreased E-cadherin expression correlated with both increased grade and stage(x2=25.6, p<0.01 and x2=26.7, p<0.01 respectively). Also, abnormal E-cadherin expression correlated with recurrence and progression of superficial bladder tumors(Fisher Exact test: p=0.008 and x2=6.6, p=0.01 respectively). In multiple linear regression analysis controling the effects of other factors, only the tumor grade showed weak correlation with E-cadherin expression(coefficient=-0.25, r2=40.1%, p<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that decreased expression of E-cadherin is correlated with higher grade, advanced stage, recurrence and progression respectively. But, E-cadherin could not be used as an independent prognostic marker in bladder cancer.