GPC-1 may serve as a predictor of perineural invasion and a prognosticator of survival in pancreatic cancer

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of glial cell derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), glypican-1 (GPC-1), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and their association with clinicopathologic characteristics as well as prognostic significance in pancreatic cancer. Methods: Immunohistochemical assessment of GDNF, GPC-1, and MMP-9 was performed in 62 cases of surgically resected pancreatic cancer. Perineural invasion in pancreatic cancer was observed by marking nerve fiber with S-100, while 16 normal pancreatic tissues were used as normal control. Correlations of GDNF, GPC-1 and MMP-9 expressions with clinicopathologic parameters were analyzed. A survival analysis was performed to find the prognostic significance. Results: The expressions of GDNF, GPC-1 and MMP-9 in pancreatic cancer tissue were significantly higher than of those in normal pancreatic tissues (41/62 vs. 5/16 for GDNF, 35/62 vs. 2/16 for GPC-1, and 37/62 vs. 3/16 for MMP-9; p < 0.01, respectively). The overexpression of GDNF, GPC-1, and MMP-9 in pancreatic cancer tissue was significantly related to the perineural invasion (p < 0.05). Although the overexpression of these genes was related to poor survival, GPC-1 had an independent prognostic effect on overall survival. Conclusion: GPC-1 is significantly related to the perineural invasion of pancreatic cancer, holding some prognostic significance in patients with pancreatic cancer. Copyright (C) 2012, Asian Surgical Association. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC. All rights reserved.