PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
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
TI  - Prognostic Significance of N-Cadherin Expression in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
DP  - 2011 Dec 01
TA  - Anticancer Research
PG  - 4211--4218
VI  - 31
IP  - 12
4099  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/31/12/4211.short
4100  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/31/12/4211.full
SO  - Anticancer Res2011 Dec 01; 31
AB  - 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.