The significance of E-cadherin and alpha-, beta-, and gamma-catenin expression in surgically treated non-small cell lung cancers of 3 cm or less in size

OBJECTIVES: Expression of the cell-cell adhesion molecules E-cadherin and alpha-, beta-, and gamma-catenin seems closely related to tumor invasiveness. The relationship between the expression and clinicopathologic characteristics in surgically resected non-small cell lung cancers of 3 cm or less in size was studied. The relationship to patient survival was analyzed. METHODS: A total of 115 patients with surgically resected lung cancers of 3 cm or less in size were enrolled in this study. Expression of E-cadherin and alpha-, beta-, and gamma-catenin was immunohistochemically measured. The chi(2) test was used to correlate this expression with clinicopathologic parameters. Their influence on patient survival was evaluated with the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: There was a positive correlation between E-cadherin and catenin expression in lung cancers. In general, E-cadherin and catenin expression were greater in tumors that were either bronchioloalveolar carcinomas or adenocarcinomas, well differentiated, early stage, peripheral, and without vascular or pleural invasion. By using multicovariate analysis of patient survival, only early-stage and peripheral tumors were significantly favorable prognostic factors. Further analysis of the group of patients with early-stage disease showed that higher alpha-, beta-, or gamma-catenin expression was a favorable prognostic indicator. CONCLUSION: Expression of alpha-, beta-, or gamma-catenin can be used as a prognostic indicator in patients with surgically resected stage I non-small cell lung cancers of 3 cm or less in size.