Cell-Adhesion Molecule Expression and the Proliferation of Malignant Mesothelioma: A Post-Mortem Examination.

Anticancer Research. 2014 June. [Link]

Fujimori Y, Fukuoka K, Hirano H, Kuribayashi K, Nakano T, Nakasho K, Ohyama H, Tabata C, Yamanegi K.

Abstract

Aim: In order to determine if metastatic malignant mesothelioma cells are more aggressive than primary malignant mesothelioma cells, an analysis of the expression of the adhesion molecules E-cadherin and β-catenin, concomitant with an assessment of the proliferative activity at primary and metastatic sites, was conducted in post-mortem samples. Materials and Methods: E-cadherin or β-catenin expression was graded according to the percentage of positively-stained tumor cells. The proliferative activity was quantified by the Ki-67 labeling index. Results: Histologically, the majority of metastatic tumors matched the primary tumor. In the epithelioid component of primary tumors, E-cadherin and β-catenin expression ranged from 1+ to 4+. Conclusion: Malignant mesothelioma cells acquire a higher proliferative potential after metastasis, without any significant changes in their histology, although metastasis produces no definite trend on the expression of E-cadherin or β-catenin.