Reduced expression of p21-activated protein kinase 1 correlates with poor histological differentiation in pancreatic cancer

BMC Cancer

Juan Han²  Feng Wang¹  Shu-qiang Yuan⁴  Ying Guo¹  Zhao-lei Zeng¹  Li-ren Li³  Jing Yang¹  De-sen Wang¹  Mei-yuan Liu²  Han Zhao²  Kai-yan Liu¹  Jian-wei Liao¹  Qing-feng Zou²  Rui-hua Xu¹ 

[1] State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China

[2] Section 3 of Internal Medicine, The Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 78 Hengzhigang Road, Guangzhou 510095 Guangdong, China

[3] Department of Colorectal Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China

[4] Department of Gastric and Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China

关键词: Prognosis;    Immunohistochemistry;    Pancreatic cancer;    P21-activated protein kinase 1 (PAK1);   

Others  :  1121115
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2407-14-650

 received in 2014-03-16, accepted in 2014-08-22,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

P21-activated protein kinase 1 (PAK1), a main downstream effector of small Rho GTPases, is overexpressed in many malignancies. PAK1 overexpression is associated with poor prognosis in some tumor types, including breast cancer, gastric cancer, and colorectal cancer. However, the expression and clinical relevance of PAK1 expression in human pancreatic cancer remains unknown.

Methods

The present study investigated the clinical and prognostic significance of PAK1 expression in pancreatic carcinoma. We examined and scored the expression of PAK1 by immunohistochemistry in 72 primary pancreatic carcinoma samples and 20 liver metastatic samples. The relationships between PAK1 and clinicopathological parameters and prognosis in primary and metastatic pancreatic cancer were analyzed.

Results

Among the total 92 cases, primary pancreatic cancer samples had a significantly higher rate (38/72, 52.8%) of high PAK1 expression than liver metastatic samples (5/20, 25.0%) (P = 0.028). Among the 72 primary pancreatic cancer patients, high PAK1 expression was associated with younger age (P = 0.038) and moderately or well differentiated tumor (P = 0.007). Moreover, a positive relationship was found between high PAK1 expression and overall survival (OS) (P < 0.005). Patients with high PAK1 expression had a better OS than those with low PAK1 expression. Univariate and multivariate analysis by Cox regression including PAK1 and other prognostic pathological markers demonstrated high PAK1 immunostaining as a prognostic factor for survival in pancreatic cancer patients (P < 0.005).

Conclusions

We report for the first time that PAK1 is a novel prognostic marker for pathologically confirmed human pancreatic cancer. Reduced expression of PAK1 correlates with poor histological differentiation in pancreatic cancer.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Han et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

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