International Journal of Medical Laboratory Research (IJMLR)

THE EXPRESSION OF CEA AND E-CADHERIN IN THE PROGRESSION TO SCC OF THE CERVIX

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VO Ekundina, MC Ogazi, AA Oladele, EO Nwachukwu, GI Eze

 

ABSTRACT: Introduction: Cervical cancer may be a serious ill health, with nearly 500 000 women developing the disease annually worldwide. Cases occur mostly in less developed countries where no effective screening systems are available. Risk factors include exposure to human papillomavirus, smoking, and immune-system dysfunction. Aim: The aim of this study is to observe and study the expression of CEA and E-cadherin in normal cervix, Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN) and Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) of the cervix and determine if these markers can be used as predictive markers for SCC of the cervix progression. Materials and Methods: A total of 50 formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissue blocks were obtained including: 5 normal cervical tissue, 10 CIN 1, 15 CIN 2 &3 and 20 confirmed SCC of the cervix cases. Immunohistochemistry technique was carried out in this study. Result: The expression of CEA showed increase in positivity with the stages to the SCC of the cervix with the expressions in CIN 2&3 and SCC cases having the most marked expressions and CIN 1 having weak reaction. Meanwhile, E-cadherin expression showed higher grades of positivity in normal cervical tissues and CIN 1 as compared to CIN 2&3 and SCC cases. E-cadherin decreases in positivity with the stages in the progression to SCC of the cervix. E-cadherin expression was found to be inversely relational to the progression to SCC of the cervix while CEA expression was found to be directly relational to the progression to SCC of the cervix.  Conclusion: Therefore, based on the findings in this study, both CEA and E-cadherin are confirmed as predictive markers to the progression to SCC of the cervix.

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KEY WORDS: SCC, CIN, CEA, E-cadherin, IHC

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