title: Epithelial and stromal expression of syndecan-2 in pancreatic carcinoma.
abstract: The aim of the study was to determine the expression and prognostic role of syndecan-2 in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Syndecan-2 expression and its relationship with established prognostic features were assessed in a series of 53 patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Epithelial expression was observed in 23 (43.4%) and stromal in 30 (56.6%) pancreatic carcinomas, respectively. In normal pancreatic tissue, the epithelial expression was moderate or strong in single or small clusters of acinar cells and negative in ductal cells. Normal pancreatic stroma did not express syndecan-2. Statistical analysis showed that stromal expression had no influence on survival but epithelial expression was positively correlated with survival time, and patients with higher epithelial syndecan-2 expression had a distinctly longer survival (p=0.029).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results support a potential role for syndecan-2 in pancreatic carcinogenesis and cancer progression. Moreover, expression of syndecan-2 might serve as a prognostic marker.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Sestre Milosrdnice University Hospital, Vinogradska 29, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Davor
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hrabar
authors.forename: Gorana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aralica
authors.forename: Marija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gomercic
authors.forename: Neven
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ljubicic
authors.forename: Bozo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kruslin
authors.forename: Davor
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tomas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016577:Pancreaticoduodenectomy; D011379:Prognosis; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D053669:Syndecan-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D053669:Syndecan-2