PANCREATIC-CARCINOMA - CORRELATION BETWEEN E-CADHERIN AND ALPHA-CATENIN EXPRESSION STATUS AND LIVER METASTASIS

BACKGROUND. Dysfunction of the E-cadherin/catenin-mediated cell-cell a dhesion system has been associated with invasiveness and poor differen tiation of human carcinomas. However, its importance in the genesis of liver metastasis has not been examined sufficiently. METHODS. A serie s of 26 primary pancreatic carcinomas and the concomitant liver metast ases from 15 of them, obtained at autopsy, were analyzed for E-cadheri n and alpha-catenin protein expression by immunohistochemistry. RESULT S. Both E-cadherin and alpha-catenin expression were preserved in 15 ( 58%) and reduced in 11 (32%) of the 26 primary pancreatic carcinomas. In the former 15 primaries, carcinoma cells were attached to each othe r tightly, whereas the latter 11 primaries showed isolated or loosely connected attachments. The metastatic ratio was higher in tumors exhib iting tight adhesion than in those with loose adhesion: 73% and 36%, r espectively (P = 0.059). E-cadherin and alpha-catenin expression patte rns in liver metastases basically followed those in the corresponding primaries (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS. Reduced E-cadherin and alpha-cateni n expression in primary pancreatic carcinoma has no significant predic tive value regarding the presence of liver metastasis. Rather, there i s a greater tendency for liver metastasis in cases in which the integr ity of the E-cadherin/catenin-mediated cell-cell adhesion system is in tact. (C) 1998 American Cancer Society.