[Expression of Ezrin and E-cadherin in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and its significance].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association of Ezrin and E-cadherin expression with the invasion, metastasis and prognois of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. METHODS: Imunohistochemical SP staining was used to detect the expression of Ezrin and E-cadherin in 42 nasopharyngeal carcinoma and 10 chronic nasopharyngitis specimens. RESULTS: Ezrin protein expression in the nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues was significantly higher than that in the chronic nasopharyngitis tissues (P<0.05). E-cadherin expression in the nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues was significantly lower than that in the chronic nasopharyngitis tissues (P<0.05). Expressions of both Ezrin and E-cadherin of nasopharyngeal carcinoma were closely associated with T staging,the cervical lymph node metastases and clinical staging (P<0.05). A negative correlation was found between Ezrin and E-cadherin expression in the nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues (r=-0.450, P<0.05). Survival analysis showed that the abnormal expression of Ezrin and E-cadhrin, clinical staging and the cervical lymph node metastases were associated with the survival rate of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. CONCLUSION: A negative correlation is found between Ezrin and E-cadherin expression in the nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues. Ezrin and E-cadherin are closely related to clinical staging and the cervical lymph node metastases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma,suggesting that they may be important tumor markers for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Combined detection of the expressions of Ezrin and E-cadherin is helpful for clinical doctors to determine the prognosis of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.