Published online Sep 15, 2004. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v10.i18.2759
Revised: December 3, 2003
Accepted: December 22, 2003
Published online: September 15, 2004
AIM: To investigate the expression of Survivin in pancreatic cancer and its correlation to the expression of Bcl-2.
METHODS: Survivin and Bcl-2 expressions were examined by immunohistochemistry in 42 tissue samples from pancreatic cancer and 10 from normal pancrease.
RESULTS: No survivin expression was detected in the tissue samples from normal pancrease, while it was detected in 34 of 42 tissue samples from pancreatic cancer (81.95%). There was a correlation between survivin expression and differentiation and stages of pancreatic cancer. Survivin positive cases were strongly correlated to Bcl-2 expression (28/30 vs 6/12, P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: Overexpression of survivin plays an important role in the development and progression of pancreatic cancer, and correlates to the expression of Bcl-2. Survivin expression can be used as a prognostic factor.