The value of E-cadherin/ β-catenin expression in imprints of NCSLC: Relationship with clinicopathological factors

Metastasis is specific for malignant tumors and its control is one of the most important problems in the design of therapies for cancer patients. Loss or reduction of E‐cadherin expression and/or β‐catenin expression plays a casual role in tumor progression and metastasis and is associated with poor prognosis. The purpose of the study is to investigate the expression of E‐cadherin and β‐catenin and their significance as independent prognostic markers in imprints of resected nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Imprint smears from 70 patients who underwent surgical lung resection for primary carcinoma were studied. As control group was used imprints of physiological tissues. Histologically 47 (67.1%) of the tumors were squamous cell carcinomas and 23 (32.9%) were adenocarcinomas. Tumors stage was I in 29 (41.4%), II in 13 (18.6%), III in 24 (34.3%) and IV in 4 (5.7%). Positive expression for E‐cadherin was observed in 44.29% of malignant smears vs 85.71% for control group (P = 0.011). For β‐catenin, positive expression was observed in 42.86% malignant cases vs 85.71% for control group (P = 0.008). Positive expression of E‐cadherin and β‐catenin was observed in moderate and well differentiated tumors (P < 0.0001 for both respectively). Positive E‐cadherin and β‐catenin expression was observed in 70.6% and 76.5% of the cases with negative lymphnode metastasis (P < 0.0001 for both respectively). There was no statistically significant association between histological type, tumor stage, pleural invasion, tumor size (P > 0.05 for all) and E‐cadherin/β‐catenin expression. Reduced E‐cadherin or β‐catenin negative expression relates to dedifferentiation and progression of NSCLC. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.