AIM:To investigate the expression of E-cadherin,α-catenin, β-catenin,γ-catenin and cyclin D_1 in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC),and analyze their interrelationship with clinicopathological variables and their effects on prognosis. METHODS:Expression of E-cadherin,α-catenin,β-catenin, γ-catenin and cyclin D_1 was determined by EnVision or SABC immunohistochemical technique in patients with ESCC consecutively,their correlation with clinical characteristics was evaluated and analyzed by univariate analysis. RESULTS:The reduced expression rate of E-cadherin,α- catenin,β-catenin and γ-catenin was 88.7%,69.4%,35.5% and 53.2%,respectively.Cyclin D1 positive expression rate was 56.5%.Expression of γ-catenin was inversely correlated with the degree of tumor differentiation and lymph node metastasis(X~2=4.183 and X~2=5.035,respectively,P<0.05), whereas the expression of E-cadherin was correlated only with the degree of differentiation(X~2=5.769,P<0.05). Reduced expression of E-cadherin and γ-catenin was associated with poor differentiation of tumor,reduced expression of γ-catenin was also associated with lymph node metastasis.There obviously existed an inverse correlation between level of E-cadherin and γ-catenin protein and survival.The 3-year survival rates were 100% and 56% in E-cadherin preserved expression group and in reduced expression one and were 78% and 48% in γ-catenin preserved expression group and in reduced expression one, respectively.The differences were both statistically significant.Correlation analysis showed the expression level of α-catenin correlated with that of E-cadherin and β-catenin (P<0.05). CONCLUSION:The reduced expression of E-cadherin and γ-catenin,but not α-catenin,β-catenin and cyclin D1,implies more aggressive malignant behaviors of esophageal carcinoma cells and predicts the poor prognosis of patients. AIM: To investigate the expression of E-cadherin, α-catenin, β-catenin, γ-catenin and cyclin D 1 in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), and analyze their interrelationship with clinicopathological variables and their effects on prognosis. METHODS Α-catenin, β-catenin, γ-catenin and cyclin D 1 was determined by EnVision or SABC immunohistochemical technique in patients with ESCC consecutively, their correlation with clinical characteristics was evaluated and analyzed by univariate analysis. RESULTS: The reduced expression rate of E-cadherin, α-catenin, β-catenin and γ-catenin was 88.7%, 69.4%, 35.5% and 53.2%, respectively.Cyclin D1 positive expression rate was 56.5% inversely correlated with the degree of tumor differentiation and lymph node metastasis (X ~ 2 = 4.183 and X ~ 2 = 5.035, respectively, P <0.05), while the expression of E-cadherin was correlated only with the degree of differentiation 2 = 5.769, P <0.05) expression of E-cadherin and γ-catenin was associated with poor differentiation of tumor, reduced expression of γ-catenin was also associated with lymph node metastasis. There exists an anomal correlation between level of E-cadherin and γ-catenin protein and survival The 3-year survival rates were 100% and 56% in E-cadherin preserved expression group and in reduced expression one and were 78% and 48% in γ-catenin preserved expression group and in reduced expression one, respectively. both statistically significant. Correlation analysis showed the expression level of α-catenin correlated with that of E-cadherin and β-catenin (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: The reduced expression of E-cadherin and γ- , β-catenin and cyclin D1, implies more aggressive malignant behaviors of esophageal carcinoma cells and predicts the poor prognosis of patients.