Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cancers arising in the oral cavity are more commonly of squamous cell carcinomas. E-cadherin is a calcium-dependant transmembrane glycoprotein of the type-1 cadherin superfamily is an invasion/tumor suppressor gene, which plays a vital role in epithelial cell-cell adhesion. Epithelial E-cadherin expression loss increases tumor invasiveness and metastasis. AIM: To determine the expression of E-cadherin in oral epithelial dysplasia (OED) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Analysis of E-cadherin expression in 10 cases of normal mucosa, 15 cases of various grades of OED, 15 cases of OSCC. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The data were calculated using Chi-square test and analysis of variance test (ANOVA). RESULTS: An intragroup comparison of staining intensity and staining location for OED showed a highly significant difference between mild and moderate grade (P < 0.001). A significant difference of staining intensity was noted among well and moderately differentiated grades, and well and poorly differentiated grades of OSCC. A comparison of staining location among well and poorly differentiated grades of OSCC was found to be significant. CONCLUSION: Expression loss is observed as the severity of the lesion progresses in both OSCC and OED. The increased loss of expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma poorer the prognosis.