Chemokine receptor CCR7 expression correlates with lymph node metastasis in pancreatic cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The clinical significance of chemokine receptor CCR7 expression in pancreatic ductal cancer was investigated.


METHODS
Immunohistochemical staining of 89 pancreatic cancers treated macroscopically with curative resection without hematogenous metastases or peritoneal dissemination were analyzed in association with clinicopathological data.


RESULTS
The positivity of CCR7 in pancreatic cancer was 32.6% (29/89). A significant correlation was detected between CCR7-positive expression and lymph node metastasis. Patients with CCR7-positive tumors had significantly shorter survival times than those with CCR7-negative tumors (median, 12.8 vs. 21.9 months, respectively; p = 0.0039). CCR7 expression was an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio, 1.949; p = 0.0364) by multivariate survival analysis; however, it was not an indicator for any particular site of recurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
The survival impact of CCR7 expression on resectable pancreatic cancer may be associated with lymphatic spread. The results from the present study should foster further investigation of treatments using an inhibitor for the CCR7 protein to improve the survival of pancreatic cancer.
Department of Surgical Oncology, Institute of Geriatrics and Medical Science, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan. bunzo@med.osaka-cu.ac.jp
Bunzo
B
Nakata
Shinya
S
Fukunaga
Eiji
E
Noda
Ryosuke
R
Amano
Nobuya
N
Yamada
Kosei
K
Hirakawa
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D054400:Receptors, CCR7 / Q000378:metabolism*; D016019:Survival Analysis
C515370:CCR7 protein, human; D054400:Receptors, CCR7