Hepatoma-derived growth factor is a novel prognostic factor for patients with pancreatic cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) is a nucleus-targeted growth factor playing an important role in the development and progression of cancers. This study investigated the correlation of HDGF expression and prognosis in patients with pancreatic ductal carcinoma.


METHODS
HDGF expression in pancreatic cancer cell lines was analyzed by Western blotting. HDGF expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry for 50 patients with primary ductal carcinoma of the pancreas (33 male and 17 female) ranging in age from 48 to 80 years (median, 65 years) receiving surgical treatment. Cancer cells showing stronger staining than the noncancerous ducts were regarded as positive. Cases showing positive staining in < 90% and > 90% of tumor cells were regarded as HDGF labeling index (LI) levels 1 and 2, respectively. HDGF LI was determined separately for the nucleus and the cytoplasm.


RESULTS
Western blotting showed HDGF expression in pancreatic cancer cells similar to that of hepatic cell lines. Twenty-three (46%) and 27 (54%) cases and 22 (44%) and 28 (56%) cases showed HDGF LI levels 1 and 2 for the nucleus and the cytoplasm, respectively. Patients with nuclear HDGF LI level 1 showed a significantly better 5-year survival rate (37.0%) than those with level 2 (6.8%; P = 0.023). No significant difference was observed in the cytoplasmic HDGF LI classification. Multivariate analysis revealed nuclear HDGF LI to be an independent prognosticator.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that HDGF could be a novel prognostic factor for pancreatic ductal carcinoma.
Uyama
Hirokazu
H
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
Tomita
Yasuhiko
Y
Nakamura
Hideji
H
Nakamori
Shoji
S
Zhang
Binglin
B
Hoshida
Yoshihiko
Y
Enomoto
Hirayuki
H
Okuda
Yorihide
Y
Sakon
Masato
M
Aozasa
Katsuyuki
K
Kawase
Ichiro
I
Hayashi
Norio
N
Monden
Morito
M
D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C051610:hepatoma-derived growth factor