Prognostic significance of E-cadherin and β-catenin expression in HPV-negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas

Background: The purpose of this work was to investigate the prognostic significance of E-cadherin and beta-catenin expression in surgically treated human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Methods: Consecutive patients with oropharyngeal SCC who underwent surgical treatment between 1990 and 2009 were retrospectively collected. Immunohistochemical analysis of E-cadherin and beta-catenin expression was performed on tissue microarrays. Results: E-cadherin and beta-catenin expression was evaluable in 232 cases. Low membranous E-cadherin, low membranous beta-catenin expression, and nuclear beta-catenin expression were associated with a poorer disease-specific and overall survival, although the differences were only significant for beta-catenin membranous expression (P = .024 and P = .016, respectively). In multivariate analysis, nodal metastasis and low membranous beta-catenin expression were significant independent predictors of reduced disease-specific and overall survival. Conclusion: Low membranous beta-catenin expression is a significant independent predictor of both reduced disease-specific and overall survival in patients with HPV-negative oropharyngeal SCC.