| Expression of E-cadherin and Catenin (alpha-, beta-catenin) in Endometrial Cancer and Atypical Complex Endometrial Hyperplasia. |
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Yong Jae Yang, Hee Joong Lee, Keun Ho Lee, Yoon Young Lee, Eun Duk Jang, Jin Woo Lee, Sung Eun Namkoong, Tae Chul Park |
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea.
2Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea. parktc@catholic.ac.kr |
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| Abstract |
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the correlation of the expression of E-cadherin, alpha-catenin, beta-catenin and the clinicopathological features in endometrial cancer (EC) and atypical complex endometrial hyperplasia (ACEH). METHODS: Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of E-cadherin, alpha-catenin, beta-catenin was performed in tissues of 6 ACEHs, 44 endometrioid ECs. We analyzed the correlation of the expression of IHC staining with the prognostic factors according to tumor stage of ACEH and EC, histopathologic grade, and myometrial invasion. RESULTS: According to tumor stage, reduced E-cadherin expression and abnormal alpha-catenin expression were observed more frequently in advanced stage (reduced E-cadherin: ACEH 0%, stage I-II 47.2%, stage III-IV 62.5%, p=0.050; abnormal alpha-catenin: ACEH 0%, stage I-II 27.8%, stage III-IV 62.5%, p=0.035). All of the IHC staining showed no correlation with the depth of myometrial invasion but showed correlation with presence of myometrial invasion (reduced E-cadherin: invasion(-) 14.3%, invasion(+) 66.7%, p =0.001; abnormal alpha-catenin: invasion(-) 7.1%, invasion (+) 46.0%, p=0.010; abnormal beta-catenin: invasion(-) 7.1%, invasion(+) 63.0%, p=0.000). According to histological differentiation only abnormal beta-catenin expression shows relationship with histopathologic grade (grade 1:23.1%, grade 2:60%, grade 3:62.5%, p=0.039). CONCLUSION: Expression of E-cadherin and alpha-catenin showed significantly more reduced expression in EC than in ACEH, and more reduced expression in advanced stage, myometrial invasion and high histopathologic grade. And alpha-catenin showed more frequent abnormal expression in advanced stage, myometrial invasion and beta-catenin showed more frequent in myometrial invasion, high histopathologic grade significantly. These results suggests that the expression of E-cadherin and alpha-catenin, beta-catenin in EC and ACEH could be related to prognosis of the tumor. |
| Key Words:
Endometrial cancer, Atypical complex endometrial hyperplasia, E-cadherin, alpha-catenin, beta-catenin |
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