Evaluation of Immunohistochemical Expression of Beta-catenin and E-cadherin as Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Markers in Colorectal Carcinoma - An Analytical Retrospective Study in a Tertiary Care Center.

CONTEXT

Colorectal carcinoma is a major health concern globally, with varying prognostic outcomes influenced by molecular markers. E-cadherin and beta-catenin are proteins involved in cellular adhesion and signaling pathways, and their aberrant expression has been implicated in tumor progression and metastasis.

AIMS

This study aims to evaluate the association between abnormal immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin and beta-catenin with various clinicopathological parameters in colorectal carcinomas.

SETTING AND DESIGN

A retrospective cross-sectional 3-year analytical study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 52 colorectal carcinoma tissue samples were analyzed using immunohistochemistry to assess the expression levels of E-cadherin and beta-catenin. Clinicopathological parameters including age, gender, tumor location, tumor differentiation, depth of invasion, perineural invasion, lymphovascular invasion, and nodal involvement were assessed and correlated with protein expression patterns.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

SPSS version 24 was used for calculating values using the Chi-squared test.

RESULTS

Aberrant expression of E-cadherin and beta-catenin was observed in a significant proportion of the tumors. Poorly differentiated tumors showed a marked loss of E-cadherin and abnormal beta-catenin localization. In addition, increased lymphovascular and nodal involvement were significantly associated with these aberrant expression patterns.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest that abnormal expression of E-cadherin and beta-catenin is linked to poor tumor differentiation and higher rates of lymphovascular and nodal involvement. These markers may serve as potential biomarkers for assessing prognosis in colorectal carcinoma patients.