The prognostic value of E-cadherin, alpha-, beta- and gamma-catenin in bladder cancer patients who underwent radical cystectomy.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the value of the loss of expression of E-cadherin and cadherin associated molecules as useful markers for both prognosis and chemosensitivity in bladder cancer patients who have undergone radical cystectomy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In 55 paraffin embedded specimens of radical cystectomy at our hospital from 1982 to 2000, the expression of E-cadherin, alpha-, beta- and gamma-catenin was examined by immunohistochemical staining. To evaluate the prognostic significance of these molecules, Kaplan-Meier survival curves were constructed and a statistical analysis was calculated by a log-rank test. A multivariate test (tumor stage, tumor grade, lymph node metastasis, configuration, the expression of E-cadherin, alpha-, beta- and gamma-catenin) was performed to detect prognostic markers.

RESULTS

Normal expression was found in 33 cases (60.0%) for E-cadherin, 29 (52.7%) for alpha-catenin, 31 cases (56.4%) for beta-catenin, and 31 cases (56.4%) for gamma-catenin. The expression patterns for E-cadherin, alpha-, beta- and gamma-catenin were significantly correlated with each other (P < 0.01). Survival analysis showed a significant difference between normal and aberrant expression in each staining. A multivariate analysis revealed that the expression of alpha- catenin was an independent prognostic factor (P = 0.0191). In 23 patients that received adjuvant chemotherapy, there was a significant difference in survival between the normal and aberrant expression of alpha-catenin, but not other molecules.

CONCLUSION

Alpha-catenin may not only be a good prognostic marker, but also one of key molecules that determine the chemosensitivities in patients with invasive bladder cancer.