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Pleiotrophin Expression in Human Pancreatic Cancer and Its Correlation with Clinicopathological Features, Perineural Invasion, and Prognosis

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Abstract

Pleiotrophin (PTN), a heparin-binding growth factor also known as neurite growth-promoting factor, exhibits several properties related with tumor development. PTN and its receptor, N-syndecan, may play a very important role in tumor growth and neural invasion of pancreatic cancer. We investigated PTN and N-syndecan protein levels in 38 patients with pancreatic cancer by immunohistochemistry, and analyzed for its correlation with clinicopathological features, perineural invasion, and prognosis. The results showed that PTN and N-syndecan proteins were found in 24 (63.2%) and 22 (57.9%) specimens, respectively. PTN and N-syndecan expressions were associated with perineural invasion (P = 0.016 and P = 0.029, respectively). High PTN expression was closely related to an advanced TNM stage (P = 0.007), lymph node metastasis (P = 0.040), and decreased postoperative survival at 3 years (50.0% versus 20.8%, respectively; P = 0.001). We conclude that high expression of PTN combined with N-syndecan may contribute to the increased perineural invasion and poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer.

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Acknowledgments

Supported by the Program of Science & Technology of Shanxi Province (No. 2007K09-04).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710061, China

    Jun Yao, Qingyong Ma, Liancai Wang & Min Zhang

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  1. Jun Yao
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Correspondence to Qingyong Ma.

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Yao, J., Ma, Q., Wang, L. et al. Pleiotrophin Expression in Human Pancreatic Cancer and Its Correlation with Clinicopathological Features, Perineural Invasion, and Prognosis. Dig Dis Sci 54, 895–901 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-008-0433-5

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