Abstract 1487: Evaluation of the relationship between e-cadherin expression and proliferative activity at the invasive front of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

• Published in: Cancer research (Chicago, Ill.) Ill.), 2013-04, Vol.73 (8_Supplement), p.1487-1487
• Main Authors: Jampietro, Juliano, Sato-Kuwabara, Yukie, Fregnani, José Humberto H.T.G., Coimbra, Felipe, Camillo, Claudia Malheiros Coutinho, Soares, Fernando Augusto
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0008-5472; 1538-7445
• DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1487

Introduction Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has a poor prognosis mainly because it is usually in an advanced stage at the time of diagnosis. The epithelium-mesenchyme transition (EMT), when epithelial cells loss their original characteristics and acquire mesenchymal phenotype, is indicated first by the loss of E-cadherin expression. The EMT is considered the main event in tumor progression and metastasis. In vitro studies have demonstrated that e-cadherin downregulation can lead to cell proliferation. This finding has not been evaluated in human tumors. This study aimed to elucidate whether tumor cells that have undergone EMT at the invasive front of the ESCC are in proliferative state. Material and Methods Samples of 58 ESCC cases were double stained by immunohistochemistry (IHQ) for E-cadherin (BD Bioscience) and Ki67 (ROCHE) antibodies using the Automated System Ventana BenchMark XT (ROCHE). IHC analysis was performed using Aperio ScanScope XT (APERIO) with the Algorithm ColorDeconvolution. In each case E-cadherin and Ki67 expression were evaluated in the tumor core and at the invasive front, separately. Positivity was divided into strong, moderate and weak positive according to intensity staining. For each case a score was given based on the formula with the percentages of each positivity group [Score = 1x (% Weak) + 2x (% Moderate) + 3x (% Strong)]. Results and Discussion Analysis of the IHQ double-stain for E-cadherin showed that 51 (87.9%) cases had a high expression at the tumor core when compared with invasive front and in 7 (12.1%) cases were found high expression at the invasion front (p