E-cadherin as a potential biomarker of malignant transformation in oral leukoplakia: a retrospective cohort study
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Data
2014
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Resumo
Background: Numerous attempts have been made to establish and develop tumor markers that could determine
the susceptibility of normal tissues to transform into cancerous ones. To determine whether altered expression
patterns of E-cadherin could be an early event in the progression of potentially malignant disorders to oral
squamous cell carcinoma, this study aimed to assess the relationship between the immunoexpression of E-cadherin
and the different degrees of epithelial dysplasia in oral leukoplakia.
Methods: Surgically excised specimens from patients with oral leukoplakia (n = 31), oral cavity squamous cell
carcinoma with cervical lymph node metastasis (n = 12) and normal oral mucosa (n = 9) were immunostained for
E-cadherin. Oral leukoplakia samples were distributed into low and high risk group according to a binary system for
grading oral epithelial dysplasia. Comparative analyses between E-cadherin expression and microscopic features
(WHO histological grading and epithelial dysplasia) were performed by Pearson Chi-square test (P < 0.05).
Results: Differences in E-cadherin expression were observed between normal oral mucosa and low risk oral
leukoplakia (P = 0.006), low and high risk oral leukoplakia (P = 0.019), and high risk oral leukoplakia and oral cavity
squamous cell carcinoma with cervical lymph node metastasis (P = 0.0001). In addition, as epithelia undergo
dysplastic changes, the risk of malignant transformation increases, and there is a reduction or loss of E-cadherin
expression by keratinocytes. Reduced E-cadherin expression was an early phenomenon and it was observed in
moderate-severe dysplasia, showing that the loss of epithelial cohesion may be an indicator of progression to oral
cavity squamous cell carcinoma.
Conclusions: E-cadherin could be used as a novel biomarker to identify lesions with potential risk for malignant
transformation, which may provide opportunities for prophylactic interventions in high risk patient groups.
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Palavras-chave
Oral leukoplakia, Epithelial dysplasia, Oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma, E-cadherin
Citação
ZEIDLER, Sandra Ventorin von. E-cadherin as a potential biomarker of malignant transformation in oral leukoplakia: a retrospective cohort study. BMC Cancer, London, v. 14, n. 972, p. 1-7, 2014.