Fig. 1The expression of E-cadherin (A-D), vimentin (E-H), and EZH2 (I-L) in normal squamous epithelium and tumors. E-Cadherin is expressed in the membranes of normal cells (A) and tumor cells (B), but some tumors show heterogeneous (C), or loss (D) of expression. Normal squamous epithelium (E) and squamous cell carcinoma (F) are negative for vimentin, but a portion of tumors show intermediate (G) or strong (H) expression of vimentin in the cytoplasm of tumor cells. Weak and focal (I) or weak and diffuse (J) expression of EZH2 is grouped as low immunoreactivity. Moderate and diffuse (K) or strong and diffuse (L) expression of EZH2 is grouped as high immunoreactivity.
Fig. 2The effects of E-cadherin on prognosis. Kaplan-Meier plots of overall survival in oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal groups defined by expression of E-cadherin. The loss of E-cadherin is significantly correlated with the lower overall survival (p=.001 and p=.038, respectively).
Table 1.Relationship between EMT-associated protein expression and clinicopathological parameters
Characteristic |
All patients |
E-Cadherin positive |
E-Cadherin loss |
p-value |
Vimentin negative |
Vimentin positive |
p-value |
EZH2 negative |
EZH2 positive |
p-value |
Sex |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Male |
101 |
76 |
25 |
.159 |
79 |
22 |
.086 |
74 |
27 |
.185 |
Female |
17 |
10 |
7 |
|
10 |
7 |
|
15 |
2 |
|
Age (yr) |
58.0 ± 11.9 |
59.0 ± 11.7 |
55.3 ± 12.3 |
.520 |
59.0 ± 11.7 |
55.0 ± 12.2 |
.637 |
57.3 ± 11.6 |
60.1 ± 12.8 |
.811 |
Smoking history |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Never smoker |
32 |
22 |
10 |
.647 |
24 |
8 |
.943 |
25 |
7 |
.494 |
Smoker or ex-smoker |
78 |
57 |
21 |
|
59 |
19 |
|
56 |
22 |
|
Unknown |
8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pirmary tumor site |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oral cavity |
40 |
28 |
12 |
.564 |
26 |
14 |
.159 |
36 |
4 |
.002 |
Oropharynx |
22 |
18 |
4 |
|
17 |
5 |
|
10 |
12 |
|
Hypopharynx |
23 |
18 |
5 |
|
17 |
6 |
|
18 |
5 |
|
Larynx |
33 |
22 |
11 |
|
29 |
4 |
|
25 |
8 |
|
Histological differentiation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well |
36 |
32 |
4 |
.016 |
27 |
9 |
.944 |
29 |
7 |
.391 |
Moderately/pooly |
82 |
54 |
28 |
|
62 |
20 |
|
60 |
22 |
|
Pathological tumor stage |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
T1 |
30 |
20 |
10 |
.167 |
21 |
9 |
.135 |
20 |
10 |
.342 |
T2 |
51 |
42 |
9 |
|
42 |
9 |
|
38 |
13 |
|
T3 |
18 |
13 |
5 |
|
15 |
3 |
|
14 |
4 |
|
T4 |
19 |
11 |
8 |
|
11 |
8 |
|
17 |
2 |
|
Lymph node invovement |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Absence |
60 |
40 |
20 |
.136 |
46 |
14 |
.709 |
51 |
9 |
.012 |
Present |
57 |
45 |
12 |
|
42 |
15 |
|
37 |
20 |
|
Unknown |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recurrence |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Free |
89 |
66 |
23 |
.585 |
67 |
22 |
.950 |
69 |
20 |
.352 |
Present |
29 |
20 |
9 |
|
22 |
7 |
|
20 |
9 |
|
Follow-up |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Live |
70 |
55 |
15 |
.093 |
54 |
16 |
.600 |
51 |
19 |
.434 |
Died |
48 |
31 |
17 |
|
35 |
13 |
|
38 |
10 |
|
Follow-up (mo) |
46.2 ± 38.7 |
45.4 ± 37.4 |
48.3 ± 42.7 |
.639 |
48.1 ± 39.4 |
40.3 ± 36.6 |
.571 |
50.0 ± 41.5 |
34.6 ± 25.6 |
.003 |