Altered E-cadherin/beta-catenin expression in oral squamous carcinoma with and without nodal metastasis

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the potential use of E-cadherin, a tumour-suppressor gene product involved in establishing cell–cell adhesion and one of its associated proteins, β-catenin, as markers of nodal metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Materials and methods: Thirty invasive OSCCs in patients with (n = 19) and without (n = 11) nodal metastases, as confirmed on histopathologic examination of the resected regional lymph nodes (n = 30), were examined for E-cadherin and β-catenin expression by immunohistochemistry. Results: There was a highly significant association (P