Expression and clinical significance of E-cadherin and β-catenin in gastric carcinoma

Objective To study the expression and clinical significance of E-cadherin and β-catenin in gastric carcinoma.Methods Specimens from gastric carcinoma (58 cases),gastric adenoma (20 cases) and normal gastric tissues (18 cases) for which tissue microarrays were constructed and used for immunohistochemical detection of E-cadherin and β-catenin protein expression.Results Immunohistochemical analysis of tissue microarrays demonstrated E-cadherin protein expression in 82.8% of the gastric carcinoma and only in 50.0% of gastric adenoma.E-cadherin expression was significantly correlated with tumor differentiation status,lymph node metastasis,depth and size of tumors.β-catenin expression was associated with tumor differentiation status and lymph node metastasis.While in tumors depth and size,there was no significance.Conclusion E-cadherin and β-catenin expression are associated with invasion and metastasis of gastric carcinoma,and are important factors for judging invasion of gastric carcinoma.