Esophageal Cancer
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2004. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Nov 15, 2004; 10(22): 3235-3239
Published online Nov 15, 2004. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v10.i22.3235
Prognostic and clinicopathological features of E-cadherin, α-catenin, β-catenin, γ-catenin and cyclin D1 expression in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Ying-cheng Lin, Ming-Yao Wu, De-Rui Li, Xian-Ying Wu, Rui-Ming Zheng
Ying-cheng Lin, De-Rui Li, Department of Medical Oncology, Tumor Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, Guangdong Province, China
Ming-Yao Wu, Xian-Ying Wu, Rui-Ming Zheng, Department of Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by a grant of Shantou University Research & Development Fund, No. L03002
Correspondence to: Dr. Ying-cheng Lin, Department of Medical Oncology, Tumor Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, Guangdong Province, China. linyingcheng@medmail.com.cn
Telephone: +86-754-8555844 Ext. 4042 Fax: +86-754-8560352
Received: January 20, 2004
Revised: April 4, 2004
Accepted: April 11, 2004
Published online: November 15, 2004
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the expression of E-cadherin, α-catenin, β-catenin, γ-catenin and cyclin D1 in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), and analyze their interrelationship with clinicopathological variables and their effects on prognosis.

METHODS: Expression of E-cadherin, α-catenin, β-catenin, γ-catenin and cyclin D1 was determined by EnVision or SABC immunohistochemical technique in patients with ESCC consecutively, their correlation with clinical characteristics was evaluated and analyzed by univariate analysis.

RESULTS: The reduced expression rate of E-cadherin, α-catenin, β-catenin and γ-catenin was 88.7%, 69.4%, 35.5% and 53.2%, respectively. Cyclin D1 positive expression rate was 56.5%. Expression of γ-catenin was inversely correlated with the degree of tumor differentiation and lymph node metastasis (χ2 = 4.183 and χ2 = 5.035, respectively, P < 0.05), whereas the expression of E-cadherin was correlated only with the degree of differentiation (χ2 = 5.769, P < 0.05). Reduced expression of E-cadherin and γ-catenin was associated with poor differentiation of tumor, reduced expression of γ-catenin was also associated with lymph node metastasis. There obviously existed an inverse correlation between level of E-cadherin and γ-catenin protein and survival. The 3-year survival rates were 100% and 56% in E-cadherin preserved expression group and in reduced expression one and were 78% and 48% in γ-catenin preserved expression group and in reduced expression one, respectively. The differences were both statistically significant. Correlation analysis showed the expression level of α-catenin correlated with that of E-cadherin and β-catenin (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: The reduced expression of E-cadherin and α-catenin, but not β-catenin, γ-catenin and cyclin D1, implies more aggressive malignant behaviors of esophageal carcinoma cells and predicts the poor prognosis of patients.

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