Association of expression of E-cadherin in papillary thyroid carcinoma tissues with neck lymph node metastasis

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the relationship of expression of E-cadherin with neck lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma.METHODS:The expression of E-cadherin protein was detected with immunohistochemical En Vision in 165 cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma and pericarcinoma tissues.RESULTS:The positive expression rates of E-cadherin protein in papillary thyroid carcinoma(40.6%(67/165)) was significantly lower than that in pericarcinoma tissues(90.9%(150/165),P0.01).The expression of E-cadherin was positively related to AJCC clinica1 stage,differentiation degree,lymph node metascasis and degree of infiltration(P0.01).Logistic regression analysis also showed the correlation of the E-cadherin expression in papillary thyroid carcinoma with neck lymph node metastasis(OR=14.935,P0.01).CONCLUSIONS: The expression of E-cadherin protein in papillary thyroid carcinoma tissues is low.The down regulation of E-cadherin level is closely correlated to neck lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma.