E-cadherin expression in primary carcinomas of the oral mucosa and its lymph node metastases

Objective: Aberrant expression of E-cadherin has been studied in epithelial dysplasia and oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSSC) and have shown it is associated with the development in cancer metastases. But little is known about its expression at the distant metastatic sites. we investigate the relationship between E-cadherin expression in primary oral mucosal carcinomas and their lymph node metastases. Methods: Immunohistochemical slaining and in situ hybridization were used to analysis the expression of E-cadherin from 15 patients with normal epithelial mucosa,15 patients with Leukoplakia, 30 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma and 10 patients lymph node metastases. E-cadherin expression was evaluated as normal or aberrant (decreased when compared with normal internal positive controns, or absent). Results: 91%(55/60) had E-cadherin expression, 27%(15/55) leukoplakea and 45%(25/55) primary carcinoma had aberrant expression,80%(8/10)lymph node metastases had intenser E-cadherin expression than the corresponding primaries.The expression of E-cadherin in 1%(5/55) OSSC and 20%(2/10) lymph nodal metastases was absent. Conclusion: Aberrant E-cadherin expression is frequent in leukoplakia and primary OSSC that progress to develop their malignant and metastases.distant lymph nodal metastases consistently express E-cadherin, often more strongly than the primary tumor. Invasive carcinomas have a different pattern of E-cadherin expression compared with lymph node medtastases.