E-cadherin and beta-catenin expression in gastric neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions--correlations with H. pylori infection.

ABSTRACT

Gastric cancer is one of the most aggressive malignancies, as incidence and as evolution as well. Although, due to the new findings about etiology, carcinogenesis, precancerous conditions and their detection, as well as the treatment, in the latest decade, there is an improvement in these data, gastric cancer remains a redoubtable enemy because of its incidence, prevalence and mortality. Researches are focusing on early detection of precursor lesions and on establishing their reversibility potential by bringing more clinical and statistical information and by setting new clinical hypotheses. In this context, the present article is trying to study immunohistochemical expression of two oncogenic markers, the cell adhesion protein antibodies E-cadherin and beta-catenin. Cell to cell and cell to extracellular matrix interactions are crucial for neoplastic transformation and for metastasizing process. The importance of these antibodies in maintaining cell adhesion suggests that their abnormal expression is playing an important role in tumorigenesis. In this article, authors are presenting a study about E-cadherin and beta-catenin expression in 75 patients who underwent gastrectomy for suspicions of gastric malignancies. The variables of the study are the presence or absence of Helicobacter pylori, type I carcinogenetic agent for gastric carcinoma (especially intestinal type adenocarcinoma) and the presence of tumoral or non-tumoral gastric lesions.