Aims and background: E-cadherin, also known as uvomorulin or cell-CAM 120/8
0, is one of the subclasses of cadherins, CA(2+)-dependent cell adhesion mo
lecules. Several recent studies have suggested that loss of E-cadherin may
be associated with tumor progression, such as in lung, gastric, hepatocellu
lar, breast and prostatic carcinoma. Assessment of E-cadherin serum levels
in lung cancer showed a relation to histologic type.
Methods and study design: Using an enzyme immunoassay, we determined E-cadh
erin serum levels in 79 patients affected with lung cancer (stage I-IV), 9
patients with breast cancer, 23 patients with different benign diseases, an
d 20 healthy patients.
Results: At a specificity level of 90%, E-cadherin diagnostic sensitivity w
as 66.6%, 47.6% and 43.7% in patients affected with squamous cell carcinoma
, small cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, respectively.
Conclusions: Preliminary results suggest the use of serum E-cadherin as a p
rospective tumor marker.