Expression and significance of E-cadherin in non-small cell lung cancer

ZHANG Xin; AN Yu-zhi

doi:10.3760/cma.j.issn.1673-4777.2009.06.014

Abstract：Objective To investigate the relationship between the different expression effect of E-cadherin (E-cad) in non-small cell lung cancer and the clinical pathological characteristics, illness prognosis and biological behaviors of cancer. Methods The immunohistochemical technique SP method was used to examine protein expression of level of E-cadherin in 62 patients with non-small cell lung cancer, and 10 cases of inflammatory pseudotumor as control. Results The total positive rates of E-cad protein was 56.45% in non-small cell lung cancer respectively. No relationship was observed between of the positive expression of the above three protein and sex, age, histopatholigy and the size of tumor. The posiwe rate of E-cad protein expression was decreased with the level of differentation of lung cacer. The positive rate of E-cad protein expression was significant in the clinical stage and lymph node metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer. Conclusions The protein expression level of E-cad may accelerate significantly to tumor invasion and metastasis. Measuring of the expression E-cad has a significant guiding value for clinical assessment, prognosis and choose of a suitable therapy measure for non-small cell lung cancer.