Overexpression of N-cadherin is correlated with metastasis and worse survival in colorectal cancer patients

N-cadherin is related to the progression and metastases of several solid carcinomas. However, it was still unclear whether N-cadherin is overexpressed in colorectal malignant tumors that have stronger malignant tendency. In this study, we used immunohistochemistry to detect the expression patterns of N-cadherin in both the primary tumors and their normal mucosa tissues of 120 patients with colorectal cancer. We revealed that N-cadherin was expressed in 78.3% (94/120) of colorectal tumor tissues and in only 9.2% (11/120) of paired distant normal mucosa tissues with a significant difference (P=0.000). The low, moderate, and high expression of N-cadherin protein was 42.5%, 30.8%, and 26.7%, respectively. N-cadherin overexpression was associated with advanced TNM stage, lymph nodes metastasis and distant metastasis (P < 0.05). Patients with N-cadherin overexpressed showed the obvious lower overall survival rate than those with moderate and low expression, and patients with low expression had a better survival rate than those with moderate and high expression (P < 0.05). In conclusion, high N-cadherin expression may lead to tumor aggressiveness and metastatic potential in colorectal cancer, and may prove to be a possible prognostic factor.