DECREASED EXPRESSION OF ALPHA-CATENIN IS ASSOCIATED WITH POOR-PROGNOSIS OF PATIENTS WITH LOCALIZED RENAL-CELL CARCINOMA

During the progression of many cancers, cell-cell adhesion molecules, e.g., E-cadherin (EC), may be down-regulated. In a number of carcinoma s, EC has been described as an independent prognostic variable. We hav e studied the expression of adhesion molecules participating in cadher in-catenin complexes in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) specimens. Expressi on of EC, catenins and p120cas protein was examined in frozen tissue o f 90 RCC specimens by immunohistochemistry, and these molecules were e valuated for their significance as prognostic markers. Staining was sc ored as normal (homogeneously positive at cell-cell borders) or abnorm al (heterogeneous or absent). A significant correlation between poor s urvival and decreased expression of alpha-, beta- or gamma-catenin was observed, whereas no association between survival and EC or p120cas e xpression was seen, Cox's proportional hazard regression analysis show ed that in patients with pT1-3N0M0 disease, reduced alpha-catenin expr ession correlated with poor survival, suggesting that alpha-catenin ex pression might be an independent prognostic indicator for patients of this group. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.