E—钙粘素和α，β，γ连环素的表达与乳腺癌的转移和预后关系

目的：研究上皮钙粘附素（E-cad）和连环素（α，β，γ-cat）在乳腺癌中的表达，探讨其与乳腺癌的临床病理和预后的关系。方法：应用免疫组化方法检测40例乳腺癌中E-cad和α，β，γ-cat的表达水平，然后检验其与临床病理学特征和生存时间的关系。结果：E－cad，α，β-cat异常表达与淋巴结转移及远处转移显著相关（P＜0.01，P＜0.05）。E-cad,β-cat异常表达的患者生态率低，生存期短。联合分析E－cad,α，β，γ-cat发现任两个和两个以上蛋白异常表达组的淋巴结转移、远处转移率高，预后差，与任一蛋白和无蛋白异常表达组相比，差异均有显著性（P＜0.05）。结论：E－cad、β-cat的异常表达有可能作为判断乳腺癌转移、预后的重要指标之一。E-cad，α，β，γ-cat表达的联合检测可望提高预测乳腺癌转移和预后的准确性、灵敏性。为术后辅助治疗提供依据。

Relationship between the expression of E-cadherin-catenins and alpha-, beta-, gamma-catenin and the metastasis and prognosis of breast cancer]

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between E-cadherin, alpha-, beta-, gamma-catenin expression and clinicopathological features and prognosis of breast cancer. METHODS: The expression of E-cadherin and alpha-, beta-, gamma-catenin in 40 breast cancer specimens was studied by the immunohistochemical method. The relationship between E-cadherin, alpha-, beta-, gamma-catenin expression and clinicopathological characteristics or survival time was analyzed respectively. RESULTS: The abnormal expression of E-cadherin and alpha-, beta-catenin was significantly correlated with lymph nodes and distant metastasis (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The expression of E-cadherin and beta-catenin was also strictly correlated with surival time of breast cancer patients (P < 0.01). However, when all the four proteins (E-cadherin, alpha-, beta-, gamma-catenin) were analyzed as one group, a significant association was found between the abnormal expression of two or more of these four proteins and the metastasis and prognosis of breast cancer (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Lower expression of E-cadherin and beta-catenin could be used as an important marker of metastasis and prognosis of breast cancer. Moreover, when all the four proteins (E-cadherin, alpha-, beta-, gamma-catenin) are considered together, the accuracy and sensitivity predicting metastasis and prognosis of breast cancer could be increased.