Cytologic Features Based on the Expression of E-cadherin and Catenins in Lung Adenocarcinoma

Abstract

To investigate the relationship between E-cadherin-associated cell-to-cell adhesion and cytologic features in preoperative cytologic lung adenocarcinoma specimens. Evaluation of the relationship between cell-to-cell adhesion, formation of cellular clusters and frequency of single cells in 31 cases of primary lung adenocarcinoma, collected by brush and needle cytology preoperatively. Most cases with remarkable overlapping of cells in compact cellular clusters and a few solitary cells maintained cell-to-cell adhesion. Cellular clusters that had a slight tendency to overlap, a small cell-to-cell adhesion area and a high frequency of solitary cells tended to lack E-cadherin-associated cell-to-cell adhesion. Formation of cellular clusters and the appearance of solitary cancer cells are closely related to E-cadherin-associated cell-to-cell adhesion. Therefore, it is highly likely that cytologic features may indicate malignant behavior, such as local invasion and lymph node metastasis, in primary lung adenocarcinoma.