RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN E-CADHERIN EXPRESSION AND LYMPH NODE STATUS IN INVASIVE BREAST CARCINOMA

E-cadherin expression and lymph node status has been studied as an independent prognostic factor in breast cancer progression. This study aims to investigate the specific relationship between E-cadherin expression and lymph node status in invasive breast carcinoma. This study employed a cross-sectional, retrospective observational analytic design. Subjects included breast cancer patients with invasive carcinoma histopathology treated at Dr. Saiful Anwar Regional General Hospital, Malang. The study conducted from December 2022 to December 2023. In this study, 30 patients with invasive breast carcinoma were examined, including 15 with LN N0 status and 15 with LN N1 status. A mean rank of 10.07 for the N1 LN group and 20 for the N0 LN group, with a significance value of p = 0.01. E-cadherin scoring revealed a mean score of 3.0 ± 1.0 for the N0 LN group and 1.27 ± 1.163 for the N1 LN group, with a p-value of 0.01, indicating a significant relationship between E-cadherin scoring and LN status. Additionally, analysis of E-cadherin expression summary data showed a mean of 0.67 ± 0.488 for both groups, with a p-value of 0.02, confirming a significant association between E-cadherin expression and LN status. The study concluded that in patients with invasive breast carcinoma, a positive lymph node status was associated with negative E-cadherin expression, while a negative lymph node status was associated with positive E-cadherin expression. There was no significant relationship between E-cadherin expression and age group, tumor size, estrogen and progesterone receptor status, or histopathological tumor grade.