Clinical significance of E-cadherin expression in thyroid neoplasms.

摘要

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: E-cadherin, a calcium-dependent transmembrane glycoprotein, is an adhesion molecule. We studied clinical significance of E-cadherin expression in thyroid neoplasms. METHODS: We immunohistochemically studied E-cadherin expression in 60 normal tissue specimens of thyroid tissues and in 82 follicular adenomas, 53 papillary carcinomas, 4 follicular carcinomas, 2 medullary carcinomas, and 5 anaplastic carcinomas of the thyroid. RESULTS: In papillary carcinoma, E-cadherin expression was preserved significantly less often than in follicular adenoma or normal thyroid tissue (P < 0.01). Preserved E-cadherin expression was seen less often among papillary carcinomas with lymph node metastasis than in those without metastasis (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This loss of E-cadherin expression may be involved in regional lymph node metastasis and in malignant potential of thyroid neoplasms. J. Surg. Oncol. 2001;76:176-180. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.