Expression of E- and N-cadherin and clinicopathology in hepatocellular carcinoma

Loss or reduced E-cadherin expression and aberrant expression of N-cadherin have been associated with invasiveness of human carcinoma cells and poor prognosis. The role of E- and N-cadherin, however, in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not yet been elucidated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression pattern of E- and N-cadherin in surgically resected HCC specimens according to their relationship with clinicopathological features. The expression patterns of E- and N-cadherin were evaluated on immunohistochemistry in 68 specimens of HCC and adjacent non-tumor tissue. The most different expression pattern between HCC and non-tumor tissue was the decreased staining intensity of E-cadherin (n = 37, 54%) and the dot-like discontinuous staining of N-cadherin (n = 35, 55%). Decreased intensity of E-cadherin and discontinuous staining of N-cadherin in HCC was correlated with advanced stage. The risk factors for expression patterns related to recurrence were loss of E-cadherin expression (odds ratio (OR) = 3.6; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1-12.4) and discontinuous staining of N-cadherin (OR = 1.6; 95% CI: 0.8-3.2). In conclusion, discontinuous staining of N-cadherin and loss of E-cadherin expression in HCC predicts a high risk of recurrence after surgical treatment.