Clinicopathological Significance of E-Cadherin and PCNA Expression in Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

摘要

This study was designed to assess E-cadherin (E-cad)and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)expression as well as their c1inicopatho1o ca1 significance in hunm an nonsmall cell lung cancers (NSCLCs)．Possible molecular mechanisms of diferentiation and metastasis of NSCLCs are discussed. Immuno-histochemical and imm unofluorescence double staining were performed to examine the expression of E-cad and PCNA in 68 primary NSCLCs cases．The E-cad expression in squamous cell carcinom as and adenocarcinom as showed no significant difference．E-cad expression had a positive correlation with the histological-diferentiated grade．A significant diference of E-cad expression was foun d between m etastatic and non-metastatic groups．PCNA expression in squam ous cell carcinom as and adenocarcinom as showed no significant difference．The PCNA expression had a reverse correlation with the histological-differentiated grade．A significant difference of PCNA expression was found between m etastatic and non-metastatic groups．The E-cad and PCNA expression presented a reverse correlation．E-cad expression is not associated with the histological type of NSCLC，but is associated with diferen-tiation and metastasis of th e cancer．Down-regulation of E-cad expression afects the proliferation of cancer cells．Conjoint analysis of E-cad and PCNA expression is a good way to evaluate tumor biologica1 behavior．