Prognostic role of e-cadherin and β-catenin which is epithelial mesenchymal transition markers in squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx

Larynx cancers are the second most common neoplasm in the upper respiratory tract after oral cavity cancers. The majority of laryngeal cancers comprise 85% to 95% squamous cell carcinomas. Evidence from recent years shows that EMT also plays an important role in cancer progression and metastasis. The connection of E-cadherin and β-catenin on the cell membrane prevents tumour progression by preserving cellular adhesion to inhibit EMT, cell motility and tumour metastasis. In this study, 35 cases diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma and 35 non-neoplastic larynx biopsy samples were included in Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pathology between 2011-2019. Immunohistochemical expressions of E-cadherin and β-catenin in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma cases were investigated. In our study, no significant correlation was found between E-cadherin score and localization, grade, T stage, TNM stage and presence of perineural invasion. In N1-2 cases and cases with lymph node metastasis, reduced membranous E-cadherin expression was observed and this change did not reach a statistically significant level. β-catenin score was seen in the highest supraglottic and lowest transglottic cases, but no significant relationship was observed between β-catenin score and localization. β-catenin score was higher in patients with high histological grade, advanced T stage, advanced N stage, advanced TNM stage, presence of lymph node metastasis and perineural invasion. Among these parameters, increased cytoplasmic β-catenin expression was found statistically significant relationship between the high histological grade and presence of perineural invasion (p=0,006-p=0,040, respectively). As a result, in this study it was stated that increased cytoplasmic β-catenin expression has similar characteristic with negative prognostic factors and expression of reduced membranous E-cadherin may be associated with high N stage and lymph node metastasis.