title: Expression of Ki-67, p53, and K-ras in chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine surgical specimens of pancreas with either chronic pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer in order to study whether ductal hyperplasia and dysplasia in pancreas represent precursor lesions for pancreatic cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined expression of Ki-67, CEA, p53, and K-ras, in the surgical specimens of pancreas with adenocarcinomas (n=11) and chronic pancreatitis (n=12). Cellular proliferation was assessed by Ki-67 proliferation index using the proliferation marker Ki-67. In specimens with pancreas cancer, we divided pancreas epithelium into normal (n=7), ductal hyperplasia (n=3), dysplasia (n=4), and cancerous lesion (n=11) after hematoxylin and eosin staining, Ki-67, and CEA immunohistochemical staining. In cases with chronic pancreatitis, the specimen was pathologically examined as in cases with pancreas cancer, and they were also determined as normal (n=10), ductal hyperplasia (n=4), or dysplasia (n=5). p53 and K-ras expression were also studied by immunohistochemical staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In pancreatic cancer, the Ki-67 index was 3.73+/-3.58 in normal site, 6.62+/-4.39 in ductal hyperplasia, 13.47+/-4.02 in dysplasia and 37.03+/-10.05 in cancer tissue, respectively. Overall, p53 was positive in normal ducts, ductal hyperplasia, dysplasia, and carcinoma cells in 0 of 14 (0%), 0 of 7 (0%), 7 of 9 (78%), and 10 of 11 (91%), respectively, and K-ras was positive in 0 of 8 (0%), 1 of 3 (33%), 4 of 6 (67%), 4 of 5 (80%), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results favorably support the hypothesis that ductal hyperplasia and dysplasia of the pancreas might be precursor lesions for pancreas cancer. Further evaluation of oncogenes by the molecular study is needed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Inha University Hospital, 7-206, 3-Ga, Sinheung-Dong, Jung-Gu, Incheon 400-711, South Korea. ldh@inha.ac.kr
authors.forename: Seok
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Don Haeng
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jung Il
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jin-Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kye Sook
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Pum-Soo
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyung Gil
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yong Woon
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Young Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Bae
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011230:Precancerous Conditions; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53