We studied the pattern of immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin in a series of 50 gastric carcinomas, aiming to analyze its relationship with histotype and features of biological aggressiveness of the tumors and survival of the patients. Abnormal E-cadherin expression was significantly (p=.0007) higher in diffuse/isolated-cell type carcinomas than in intestinal/glandular carcinomas. In mixed carcinomas abnormal E-cadherin expression in the diffuse/isolated-cell-type component (94.4%) was significantly (p=.007) higher than in intestinal/glandular component (55.6%). Significant relationships were observed between abnormal E-cadherin expression and nodal metastases (p=.004) and pTNM stages (p=.05). Survival of patients with tumors displaying abnormal E-cadherin expression was worse than that of patients with tumors presenting normal expression, though not attaining the threshold of statistical significance (p=.l9). We conclude that abnormal E-cadherin expression is correlated with diffuse/isolated-cell histotype and features of biological aggressiveness of gastric carcinoma.
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