title: Selecting Tumor-Specific Molecular Targets in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: Paving the Way for Image-Guided Pancreatic Surgery.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to identify suitable molecular targets for tumor-specific imaging of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
  
  
  
  The expression of eight potential imaging targets was assessed by the target selection criteria (TASC)-score and immunohistochemical analysis in normal pancreatic tissue (n = 9), pancreatic (n = 137), and periampullary (n = 28) adenocarcinoma.
  
  
  
  Integrin αvβ6, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR), and urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) showed a significantly higher (all p < 0.001) expression in pancreatic adenocarcinoma compared to normal pancreatic tissue and were confirmed by the TASC score as promising imaging targets. Furthermore, these biomarkers were expressed in respectively 88 %, 71 %, 69 %, and 67 % of the pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients.
  
  
  
  The results of this study show that integrin αvβ6, CEA, EGFR, and uPAR are suitable targets for tumor-specific imaging of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Susanna W L
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: de Geus
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Leonora S F
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Boogerd
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rutger-Jan
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Swijnenburg
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J Sven D
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Mieog
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Willemieke S F J
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Tummers
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hendrica A J M
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Prevoo
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Cornelis F M
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Sier
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Morreau
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bert A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Bonsing
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Cornelis J H
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: van de Velde
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Alexander L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Vahrmeijer
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands. p.j.k.kuppen@lumc.nl.
authors.forename: Peter J K
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kuppen
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000601:surgery*; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins
keywords: Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA); Epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR); Image-guided surgery; Immunohistochemistry; Integrin αvβ6; Molecular imaging; Pancreatic adenocarcinoma; Periampullary adenocarcinoma; Urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR)