Expression of E-cadherin in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma and Their Clinical Significances

Objective: To investigate the expression of E-cadherin, as well as their correlations with the invasion and metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.Methods: 40 cases of nasopharyngeal poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma and 20 cases of rhinitis tissues were selected, each of the four sections specimens were HE staining, immunohistochemical PV method and negative control. E-cadherin expression was detected according to the PV staining results. The results of statistical rests conducted by SPSS17.0. Results: E-cadherin was decreased or completely loss in nasopharyngeal carcinoma(P=0.002), lymph node metastasis(p=0.001)and TNM stage(P=0.000), not with gender and age.Conclusions: 1. The expression of E-cadherin in case and control group have a significant difference, which indicate that E-cadherin may have been involved in the tumor occurrence and development.2.E-cad- herin loss of expression, may be a biological maker in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The levels of E-cadherin were useful molecular markers for evaluating malignancy degree and lymph node metastasis of in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.3.Expression of E-cadherin is an independent predictor of lymph node metastases in nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and it might be a tumor marker for occult lymph node metastases.