ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to evaluate E-Cadherin expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma [OSCC] with its relation to histological grades. It was a quasi experimental study in which sixty diagnosed cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma were selected by purposive sampling technique. Fresh sections were prepared and re-diagnosed for relative histological grades by H and E staining, regardless of their previous diagnosis. E-Cadherin expression was assessed in terms of Intensity and Site of staining and its expression was recorded. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS version 17. The differential grades observed in 60 cases both with H and E and E-Cadherin staining methods were compared which showed a highly significant association, P-value < 0.001. A strong membranous E-Cadherin expression was observed in cells of well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, which changed to heterogeneous [both membranous as well as cytoplasmic expression] in moderately differentiated SCC and became weak cytoplasmic to absolute negative in poorly differentiated OSCC. Intensity of E-Cadherin expression was also observed to be reduced, P-value < 0.001, with the advancing histological grades of oral squamous cell carcinoma. It was concluded that E-Cadherin expression provides accurate details of tumour behaviour at all levels in a given section which can be used to predict the prognosis of the disease more accurately