PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF E-CADHERIN IMMUNODETE CTION IN HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMAS

Expression of E-cadherin (E-cad) was investigated immunohistologically in 91 cases of operated hepatocellular carcinomas. An alteration of E -cad immunodectection was found in 56% of tumours. These alterations w ere correlated with histopathologic features of prognostic value inclu ding tumour size (>3 cm), high nuclear grade and mitotic index. Patien ts with down-regulated E-cad expression had statistically significant shorter survival than the others. Although E-cad immunodetection was a n independent prognostic factor, the Cox multivariate analysis showed that its prognostic value was low when compared to other prognostic fa ctors.