E - cadherin Expression in Carcinoma of The Uterine Cervix.

Oh, Kie Suk; Joo, Hee Jae; Kim, Sun Young; Ryu, Hee Sug; Chung, Tae Young; Chang, Ki Hong

Original Article

Korean Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 1999;42(2):333-338.
Published online January 1, 2001.

E - cadherin Expression in Carcinoma of The Uterine Cervix.

Kie Suk Oh, Hee Jae Joo, Sun Young Kim, Hee Sug Ryu, Tae Young Chung, Ki Hong Chang

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the E-cadherin expression in normal cervical epithelium, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, and invasive carcinoma of the cervix, and to define the role of E-cadlherin expression in tumor invasion with respect to clinicopathologic parameters. METHODS: We conducted immunodetection of E-cadherin in 58 cases of cervical carcinoma using immunohistochemistry in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embbeded sections, RUSULTS: E-cadherin expression was different between normal cervical epithelium and carcinoma in situ of the cervix, and between normal cervical epithelium and invasive carcinoma of the cervix(p<0.05). However, there was no difference in E-cadherin expression between carcinoma in situ and invasive carcinoma of the cervix. In invasive cervical carcinomas, expression of E-cadherin and the intensity of cytoplasmic E-cadherin expression did not correlate with histologic type, lymphvascular space invasion, lymph node metastasis, and stage of disease. CONCLUSION: It is mncluded that expression of E-cadherin is related to tumor invasion in cervical tissues, but further studies with regard toE-cadherin/catenin/cytoskeleton complex are needed to clarify the prognostic role of E-cadherin with respect to clinicopathologic parameters in invasive cervical carcinoma,

Key Words: Adhesion molecule, E-cadherin, Cervical cancer, Invasion, Metastasis