RhoA/E-cadherin expression in gastric cancer patients: correlations with clinicopathological features and prognosis

Background: The two mediators of cell adhesion, E-cadherin and RhoA, play important roles in cancer initiation and progression. However, their associations with clinicopathological characteristics of gastric cancer in patients have been controversial. Methods: Immunohistochemical staining of RhoA and E-cadherin were performed using surgical samples from 108 patients, and were subsequently categorized into low and high expression groups. Clinicopathological characteristics and survival data were compared between groups with different expression levels of RhoA/E-cadherin. Results: Low E-cadherin expression was significantly associated with signet-ring cell component (P<0.001), while no difference in clinicopathological characteristics were observed based on RhoA expression. Median time to treatment failure (P=0.042) and overall survival (P=0.024) were longer in patients with low RhoA expression. On the other hand, no clear association between E-cadherin expression and prognosis was found. Conclusions: Taken together, our findings established the association between E-cadherin expression and specific clinicopathologic characteristics, as well as the negative prognostic value of RhoA expression in gastric cancer patients.