Expression of E-cadherin in primary endometrial carcinomas: clinicopathological and immunohistochemical analysis of 30 cases

Decreased expression of E-cadherin has been associated with poorly differentiated endometrial carcinomas and poorer outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the distribution of E-cadherin immunohistochemical expression in specimens from primary endometrial carcinomas and its relation to classical clinicopathological prognostic factors. Surgically-resected tissues of 30 patients with primary endometrial carcinomas were studied. Histological type and grade, depth of myometrial invasion, lymph-vascular space invasion, fallopian tube or ovarian invasion, and the presence of tumoral necrosis were evaluated. Immunohistochemical examination was performed on deparaffinized four-microm-thick sections. The mean age of patients was 65 years (+/- 11.41). The 63.54% of carcinomas were moderately/poorly differentiated. No statistical correlation was found between the score or intensity of E-cadherin immunohistochemical staining (strong or moderate positive expression) and the clinicopathological factors tested. The association of E-cadherin immunoreactivity with the standard clinicopathological factors seemed to be contradictory. The classical clinicopathological factors remain the most important prognostic parameters.