Prognostic significance of HIF-1 alpha overexpression in human pancreatic cancer.
BACKGROUND
Hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha) has been correlated with unfavorable prognosis in several cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of HIF-1 alpha expression on clinicopathological factors and to clarify whether or not HIF-1 alpha is correlated with angiogenesis and mutation of p53 in pancreatic cancer.


METHODS
Using immunohistochemical methods, we examined the expression of HIF-1 alpha, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), p53 and intratumoral microvessel density (IMD) in 55 cases of primary pancreatic cancer.


RESULTS
Immunohistochemical studies showed that 40.0% cases were positive and the status of HIF-1 alpha was significantly correlated with metastatic status (p = 0.048), VEGF expression (p = 0.026) and IMD (p = 0.0061). HIF-1 alpha is significantly related to prognosis in pancreatic cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data demonstrate that pancreatic cancer widely expresses HIF-1 alpha, which contributes to angiogenesis and progression. Therefore, assessment of HIF-1 alpha expression might be useful for predicting the prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients.
First Department of Surgery, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara 634-8522, Japan. tshiba@naramed-u.ac.jp
Takamune
T
Shibaji
Mitsuo
M
Nagao
Naoya
N
Ikeda
Hiromichi
H
Kanehiro
Michiyoshi
M
Hisanaga
Saiho
S
Ko
Akihisa
A
Fukumoto
Yoshiyuki
Y
Nakajima
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
C497442:HIF1A protein, human; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D014157:Transcription Factors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A