Comparison of E-Cadherin Expression in Oral Verrucous Carcinoma and Normal Oral Mucosa: An Immunohistochemical Study

Introduction Oral verrucous carcinoma (OVC), a low-grade variation of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), is distinguished by endophytic development and a pebbly, mammillated surface. OVC, often referred to as Ackerman's tumor, has been known to involve lymph nodes but rarely spreads to regional and distant locations; when the primary tumor grows, it frequently involves surrounding tissues. Histopathologically, it has a thicker basement membrane, many reduplications, and a large area of inflammatory infiltration that resembles OSCC. Therefore, precise histological diagnosis of verrucous carcinoma is crucial as helps in identifying tumors with a higher propensity to develop into OSCC. In cancer progression, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the most important stage. One factor influencing EMT is epithelial cadherin (E-cadherin). Thus, it is imperative to identify indicators that can facilitate the detection of lesions with the potential to progress into OSCC. Aim This study aimed to identify the expression of E-cadherin in normal mucosa and verrucous carcinoma and determine its role in the progression of the lesion. Methodology A total of 15 subjects with normal mucosa and 15 subjects with verrucous carcinoma were histopathologically examined and confirmed. Tissue sections were stained immunohistochemically with E-cadherin, utilizing the normal mucosa as the control group. Results When comparing normal oral mucosa to oral verrucous carcinoma, a decrease in E-cadherin expression was noted. Nonetheless, a statistically significant connection was identified between clinical parameters and E-cadherin expression solely concerning gender. Conclusion Through this study, we have attempted to assess and correlate the expression of E-cadherin between OVC and normal oral mucosa with clinical parameters. Furthermore, compared to normal oral mucosa, there was a significant decrease in the expression of E-cadherin in OVC. While further research with an extensive panel of biomarkers and a larger sample size could yield a greater understanding of carcinogenesis mechanisms, E-cadherin serves as a significant marker in partially evaluating the carcinogenic process of oral cancer.