TY - JOUR T1 - Prognostic Significance of N-Cadherin Expression in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma JF - Anticancer Research JO - Anticancer Res SP - 4211 LP - 4218 VL - 31 IS - 12 AU - M. DI DOMENICO AU - G.M. PIERANTONI AU - A. FEOLA AU - F. ESPOSITO AU - L. LAINO AU - A. DE ROSA AU - R. RULLO AU - M. MAZZOTTA AU - M. MARTANO AU - F. SANGUEDOLCE AU - L. PERILLO AU - L. D'ANGELO AU - S. PAPAGERAKIS AU - S. TORTORELLA AU - P. BUFO AU - L. LO MUZIO AU - G. PANNONE AU - A. SANTORO Y1 - 2011/12/01 UR - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/31/12/4211.abstract N2 - Background: N-Cadherin (CDH2) is a calcium-dependent adhesion protein, whose de novo expression, re-expression, up-regulation and down-regulation in human tumors has been demonstrated. The aim of the present work was to define the prognostic role of N-Cadherin in a large series of oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs). Materials and Methods: A total of 94 selected OSCCs were quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed by immunohistochemistry for N-Cadherin. The association between protein expression and clinico-pathological parameters was assessed by statistical analysis. Results: In neoplastic tissue, N-Cadherin levels were more evident than in normal peritumoral epithelium (p<0.05). Protein staining was mainly detected in the neoplastic cells, and only focal nuclear positivity was observed. Expression of cytoplasmic N-Cadherin correlated significantly with poor histological differentiation (p<0.05). Furthermore, we have observed significant a statistical trend for stage and a correlation with worst patient outcome, also confirmed by Kaplan-Meier estimates. Conclusion: Our work has underlined the key-role of N-Cadherin in oral carcinogenesis and in the prognostic stratification of patients. ER -