Immunohistochemical expression and prognostic significance of fatty acid synthase in pancreatic carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to evaluate immunohistochemical markers in pancreatic cancer and to determine the association of their expression with clinicopathological features and prognosis.


METHODS
Thirty pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients were followed-up for an average period of 5 years. FAS, bcl-2, p53 and Ki-67 expression were detected immunohistochemically to determine their prognostic value.


RESULTS
FAS was statistically associated with p53 (p = 0.002), Ki-67 (p = 0.003), higher histological grade (p = 0.001 and recurrence and overall survival (p = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The newly found overexpression of FAS in highly aggressive pancreatic carcinomas may help us stratify patients into different prognostic groups and indicate new therapeutic strategies.
Alo
Piero L
PL
Department of Experimental Pathology and Medicine, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy. pieroluigi.alo@uniroma1.it
Amini
Mostafa
M
Piro
Francesca
F
Pizzuti
Laura
L
Sebastiani
Valeria
V
Botti
Claudio
C
Murari
Riccardo
R
Zotti
Giancarlo
G
Di Tondo
Ugo
U
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology
D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases