Subject(s)
Parathyroid Hormone/blood , Adolescent , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Reference ValuesABSTRACT
AIMS AND BACKGROUND: E-cadherin, also known as uvomorulin or cell-CAM 120/80, is one of the subclasses of cadherins, CA(2+)-dependent cell adhesion molecules. Several recent studies have suggested that loss of E-cadherin may be associated with tumor progression, such as in lung, gastric, hepatocellular, breast and prostatic carcinoma. Assessment of E-cadherin serum levels in lung cancer showed a relation to histologic type. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: Using an enzyme immunoassay, we determined E-cadherin serum levels in 79 patients affected with lung cancer (stage I-IV), 9 patients with breast cancer, 23 patients with different benign diseases, and 20 healthy patients. RESULTS: At a specificity level of 90%, E-cadherin diagnostic sensitivity was 66.6%, 47.6% and 43.7% in patients affected with squamous cell carcinoma, small cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary results suggest the use of serum E-cadherin as a prospective tumor marker.
