Decreased E-cadherin but not beta-catenin expression is associated with vascular invasion and decreased survival in head and neck squamous carcinomas

OBJECTIVE: We wished to correlate the expression of E-cadherin and beta-catenin in squamous carcinomas of the head and neck to outcome and other clinicopathologic variables. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: This retrospective study was carried out in a tertiary care setting. The tumors of 45 patients who had their head and neck squamous carcinoma primarily treated by resection were evaluated immunohistochemically with antibodies to E-cadherin and beta-catenin. Thirty-two tumors arose in the oral cavity, 9 tumors originated in the larynx, and 4 tumors began in the hypopharynx. Patient outcome and the clinicopathologic variables of tumor site, tumor stage, cervical lymph node status, tumor differentiation, perineural invasion, and vascular invasion were correlated to immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin and beta-catenin. RESULTS: Low expression of E-cadherin in the tumors was significantly associated with decreased overall survival (P = 0.004), disease-free survival (P = 0.007), and vascular invasion (P = 0.02) but not with other clinicopathologic variables. beta-catenin expression was not significantly associated with any of the studied clinicopathologic variables. CONCLUSION: Decreased E-cadherin but not beta-catenin expression is associated with decreased survival in patients with head and neck squamous carcinomas. SIGNIFICANCE: Detection of loss of E-cadherin expression may help predict which patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma will experience a worse outcome compared to patients whose tumors have not lost this tumor suppressor. EBM rating: C-4 (C) 2006 American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, Inc. All rights reserved.