Chatzizacharias N.A., Giaginis C., Zizi-Serbetzoglou D., Kouraklis G.P., Karatzas G., Theocharis S.E.
Oxford Transplant Centre, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom; Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias St, Goudi, Athens GR11527, Greece; Department of Pathology, Tzaneio General Hospital, Pireaus, Greece; Second Department of Propedeutic Surgery, Medical School, South Africa; 3rd Department of Surgery, Attikon University Hospial, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Chatzizacharias, N.A., Oxford Transplant Centre, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias St, Goudi, Athens GR11527, Greece; Giaginis, C., Oxford Transplant Centre, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom; Zizi-Serbetzoglou, D., Department of Pathology, Tzaneio General Hospital, Pireaus, Greece; Kouraklis, G.P., Second Department of Propedeutic Surgery, Medical School, South Africa; Karatzas, G., 3rd Department of Surgery, Attikon University Hospial, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; Theocharis, S.E., Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias St, Goudi, Athens GR11527, Greece
Objectives: Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and Src, 2 protein tyrosine kinases, have been suggested to regulate several fundamental cellular activities that promote the malignant phenotype in various human tumors, including pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Even though research has already turned in laboratory investigations and clinical trials on the possible use of agents blocking the 2 enzymes in cancer management, the data on the clinical significance of FAK and Src in pancreatic adenocarcinoma are still scarce. METHODS:: The FAK and Src protein expression was assessed immunohistochemically in tumor specimens of 65 patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and was statistically analyzed in relation to various clinicopathological characteristics, tumor proliferative capacity, and patients' survival. Results: The FAK expression correlated significantly with the T stage of the tumor (P = 0.037), whereas FAK staining intensity with patients' age (P = 0.030), tumors' histopathological grade of differentiation (P = 0.041), and M stage (P = 0.029). The Src expression correlated significantly with the stage of the tumor (P = 0.013) and patients' survival (log-rank test, P = 0.027), being also identified as an independent prognostic factor in multivariate analysis (P = 0.047). Furthermore, trends that did not reach statistical significance were noted between FAK and Src expression and staining intensity and several clinicopathological parameters. Conclusions: The FAK and Src immunohistochemical expression was associated with certain clinicopathological parameters that are crucial for the patients' management. Copyright © 2010 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
focal adhesion kinase; protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP; adult; aged; article; cancer staging; clinical assessment; clinical evaluation; concentration (parameters); correlation analysis; histopathology; human; human tissue; immunohistochemistry; log rank test; major clinical study; multivariate analysis; pancreas adenocarcinoma; pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma; patient care; priority journal; protein expression; Src homology domain; survival; tumor growth; Adenocarcinoma; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal; Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Neoplasm Staging; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Prognosis; Proto-Oncogene Proteins pp60(c-src)
