Correlation between E-cadherin abnormal expressions in different types of cancer and the process of metastasis.

Cell-cell adhesion plays a critical role in the establishment and maintenance of cell polarity and cell society. Reduced cell-cell adhesiveness allows cancer cells to disobey the social order, resulting in destruction of the histological structure, the morphological hallmark of malignant tumors. Morbidity in most cancer patients is not due to primary cancer but to metastatic disease.