This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by von Wasielewski, R. Articles by Georgii, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by von Wasielewski, R. Articles by Georgii, A.

Immunohistochemical Detection of E-Cadherin in Differentiated Thyroid Carcinomas Correlates with Clinical Outcome¹

Pathologisches Institut der Medizinischen Hoschschule [R. v. W., A. G.], and Abteilung für Abdominal und Transplantationschirurgie der Medizinischen Hochschule [A. R. G. F. W. S.], and Abteilung für Endokrinologie der Medizinischen Hochschule [E. P., G. B.], Carl-Neuberg Strasse 1, D-30625 Hanover; Pathologisches Institut der Technischen Universität, Arcisstrasse 21 D-80333 Munich [M. W.]; Klinik für Allgemeinchirurgie der Martin-Luther Universität Halle/Wittenberg, Ernst-Grube-Strasse 40, D-61200 Halle/Wittenberg [H. D.], Germany

A retrospective immunohistochemical analysis of the adhesion molecule E-cadherin (E-CD) was performed in 112 differentiated thyroid carcinomas and 38 synchronous and 20 relapse metastases primarily from operations performed at the Medical School Hanover between 1982 and 1992. E-CD-specific antibody 5H9 was applied to paraffin-embedded tissues. All patients were clinically followed for a maximal period of 12 years. Lack of E-CD expression (i.e., < 5% of tumor cells positive) occurred in 18 of 112 (16.1%) cases, whereas the majority showed either low (24.1%), medium (35.7%), or high (24.1%) positivity. No difference was found between papillary (n = 88) and follicular (n = 24) carcinomas. Univariate statistical analysis for survival (Kaplan-Meier) showed that lack of E-CD expression (P < 0.024) is an adverse prognostic factor for differentiated thyroid carcinomas. The highest significance was seen among patients without lymph node involvement at first presentation (pN₀; P = 0.0068) and among females (P = 0.0033). Multivariate analysis (Cox model) indicated that E-CD staining is an independent prognostic factor (corrected risk factor, 3.7; P < 0.03) in addition to distant metastasis (pM1) and tumor size. A comparison of E-CD stainings between primary tumors and their metastatic lesions showed similar results in both synchronous and relapse metastases after therapy. In conclusion, E-CD immunostaining is an independent prognostic indicator for differentiated thyroid carcinomas. It may help to uncover the small group of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinomas carrying a high risk of suffering an unfavorable clinical outcome.

¹ This study was supported in part by Deutsche Krebshilfe Grant 10927/Br 4.

² To whom requests for reprints should be addressed. Phone: 49-511-532-4500; Fax: 49-511-532-5799.

Received 11/25/96. Accepted 4/16/97.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. G. Hardy, C. Vicente-Duenas, I. Gonzalez-Herrero, C. Anderson, T. Flores, S. Hughes, C. Tselepis, J. A. Ross, and I. Sanchez-Garcia Snail Family Transcription Factors Are Implicated in Thyroid Carcinogenesis Am. J. Pathol., September 1, 2007; 171(3): 1037 - 1046. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Cali, M. Zannini, P. Rubini, C. Tacchetti, B. D'Andrea, A. Affuso, T. Wintermantel, O. Boussadia, D. Terracciano, D. Silberschmidt, et al. Conditional Inactivation of the E-Cadherin Gene in Thyroid Follicular Cells Affects Gland Development but Does Not Impair Junction Formation Endocrinology, June 1, 2007; 148(6): 2737 - 2746. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. S. Rao, N. Kremenevskaja, R. von Wasielewski, V. Jakubcakova, S. Kant, J. Resch, and G. Brabant Wnt/{beta}-Catenin Signaling Mediates Antineoplastic Effects of Imatinib Mesylate (Gleevec) in Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., January 1, 2006; 91(1): 159 - 168. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A S Rao, N Kremenevskaja, J Resch, and G Brabant Lithium stimulates proliferation in cultured thyrocytes by activating Wnt/{beta}-catenin signalling Eur. J. Endocrinol., December 1, 2005; 153(6): 929 - 938. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. L. Motti, D. Califano, G. Baldassarre, A. Celetti, F. Merolla, F. Forzati, M. Napolitano, B. Tavernise, A. Fusco, and G. Viglietto Reduced E-cadherin expression contributes to the loss of p27kip1-mediated mechanism of contact inhibition in thyroid anaplastic carcinomas Carcinogenesis, June 1, 2005; 26(6): 1021 - 1034. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Faleiro-Rodrigues, I. Macedo-Pinto, D. Pereira, and C. S. Lopes Prognostic value of E-cadherin immunoexpression in patients with primary ovarian carcinomas Ann. Onc., October 1, 2004; 15(10): 1535 - 1542. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Imai, J.-I. Onose, M. Hasumura, M. Ueda, T. Takizawa, and M. Hirose Sequential Analysis of Development of Invasive Thyroid Follicular Cell Carcinomas in Inflamed Capsular Regions of Rats Treated with Sulfadimethoxine after N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine-initiation Toxicol Pathol, February 1, 2004; 32(2): 229 - 236. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K. Ishigaki, H. Namba, M. Nakashima, T. Nakayama, N. Mitsutake, T. Hayashi, S. Maeda, M. Ichinose, T. Kanematsu, and S. Yamashita Aberrant Localization of {beta}-Catenin Correlates with Overexpression of Its Target Gene in Human Papillary Thyroid Cancer J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., July 1, 2002; 87(7): 3433 - 3440. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Helmbrecht, A. Kispert, R. von Wasielewski, and G. Brabant Identification of a Wnt/{beta}-Catenin Signaling Pathway in Human Thyroid Cells Endocrinology, December 1, 2001; 142(12): 5261 - 5266. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Smyth, O. Sheils, S. Finn, C. Martin, J. O'Leary, and E. C. Sweeney Real-time Quantitative Analysis of E-cadherin Expression in ret/PTC-1-Activated Thyroid Neoplasms International Journal of Surgical Pathology, October 1, 2001; 9(4): 265 - 272. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. Böhm, L. Niskanen, K. Kiraly, J. Kellokoski, M. Eskelinen, S. Hollmen, E. Alhava, and V.-M. Kosma Expression and Prognostic Value of {{alpha}}-, {beta}-, and {{gamma}}-Catenins in Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., December 1, 2000; 85(12): 4806 - 4811. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				R. Heimann, F. Lan, R. McBride, and S. Hellman Separating Favorable from Unfavorable Prognostic Markers in Breast Cancer: The Role of E-Cadherin Cancer Res., January 1, 2000; 60(2): 298 - 304. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				E. Pötter, C. Bergwitz, and G. Brabant The Cadherin-Catenin System: Implications for Growth and Differentiation of Endocrine Tissues Endocr. Rev., April 1, 1999; 20(2): 207 - 239. [Abstract] [Full Text]