Role of E-cadherin in progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma: A retrospective immunohistochemical study

Abstract

Aim: The aim of present study was to assess the role of E-cadherin in oral carcinogenesis by comparing their expressions in normal oral mucosa, oral epithelial dysplasia (OED), and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Materials and methods: To elucidate the pattern of E-cadherin expression in oral carcinogenesis, 21 archival cases of formalinfixed paraffin-embedded sections of OSCC, 21 OED, and 7 normal oral mucosa samples as control were used for the study. Results: We observed reduction/loss of E-cadherin in membranous expression pattern and staining intensity with progression from dysplasia to oral cancer. Conclusion: A decrease in staining intensity and loss of E-cadherin membranous expression were noted from dysplasia to carcinoma, suggesting its role as a tumor suppressor gene. Clinical significance: E-cadherin can be used as a biomarker to assess and evaluate the progression and prognosis of oral dysplastic lesions and OSCC.