Objective: To investigate the relationship between E-cadherin, alpha-, beta-, gamma-catenin expression and clinicopathological features and prognosis of breast cancer.
Methods: The expression of E-cadherin and alpha-, beta-, gamma-catenin in 40 breast cancer specimens was studied by the immunohistochemical method. The relationship between E-cadherin, alpha-, beta-, gamma-catenin expression and clinicopathological characteristics or survival time was analyzed respectively.
Results: The abnormal expression of E-cadherin and alpha-, beta-catenin was significantly correlated with lymph nodes and distant metastasis (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The expression of E-cadherin and beta-catenin was also strictly correlated with surival time of breast cancer patients (P < 0.01). However, when all the four proteins (E-cadherin, alpha-, beta-, gamma-catenin) were analyzed as one group, a significant association was found between the abnormal expression of two or more of these four proteins and the metastasis and prognosis of breast cancer (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Lower expression of E-cadherin and beta-catenin could be used as an important marker of metastasis and prognosis of breast cancer. Moreover, when all the four proteins (E-cadherin, alpha-, beta-, gamma-catenin) are considered together, the accuracy and sensitivity predicting metastasis and prognosis of breast cancer could be increased.