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.

Abstract

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 P 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.