E钙粘素在涎腺腺样囊性癌中的表达及其意义

背景与目的:近年来关于上皮型钙粘素与肿瘤关系的研究比较多,但不同研究得到的结果差异较大,而且近年来的研究显示,E钙粘素在肿瘤转移过程中的作用可能具有多面性.本文旨在研究E钙粘素在涎腺腺样囊性癌中的表达水平,探讨E钙粘素与涎腺腺样囊性癌的神经侵犯、局部复发、远处转移以及预后的关系.方法:采用免疫组化技术检测55例涎腺腺样囊性癌组织标本和20例正常涎腺组织中E钙粘素的表达.应用Kaplan-Meier法进行生存分析,组间比较用log-rank检验,两组比率的比较采用χ2检验.结果:本组患者的5年和10年生存率分别为78.2%和51.4%:E钙粘素在正常涎腺组织中的阳性率(90.0%)显著高于涎腺腺样囊性癌组织(63.6%)(P＜0.05);E钙粘素在有神经受侵、局部复发及远处转移者的肿瘤组织中的阳性率(50.0%、52.4%及47.8%),均低于无神经受侵、无局部复发及无远处转移者(71.4%、70.6%及75.0%).结论:E钙粘素在涎腺腺样囊性癌组织中表达下调;其表达水平与神经侵犯、局部复发及发生远处转移相关.

Expression and significance of E-cadherin in adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary glands

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: There are many researches on the relationship between E-cadherin and cancers, but the results from different studies are various. Recent studies showed that E-cadherin might have complex functions in tumor metastasis. This study was to explore the expression of E-cadherin in adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary glands and its correlations to nerve invasion, regional recurrence, distant metastasis and prognosis of this disease. METHODS: The expression of E-cadherin in 55 specimens of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary glands and 20 specimens of normal salivary gland tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry. Patients' survival was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method. The differences between the 2 groups were compared by log-rank test and Chi2 test. RESULTS: The 5-and 10-year cumulative survival rates of the 55 patients were 78.2% and 51.4%. The positive rate of E-cadherin was significantly higher in normal salivary gland tissues than in adenoid cystic carcinoma tissues (90.0% vs.63.6%, P<0.05). The positive rate of E-cadherin was significantly lower in the group with nerve invasion, regional recurrence and distant metastasis than in the group without (50.0% vs. 71.4%, P=0.012; 52.4% vs. 70.6%, P=0.046; 47.8% vs. 75.0%, P=0.013). CONCLUSION: E-cadherin expression is down-regulated in adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary glands, which is correlated to nerve invasion, regional recurrence and distant metastasis.