Update on Pancreatic Cancer

Beazley, Robert M.; Cohn, Isidore

doi:10.3322/canjclin.38.5.310

Cited by 7 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 44 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Carcinoma ofthe pancreas is the fourth or fifth leading cause of cancer death in the United States (1). The one-year overall survival rate in patients with pancreatic carcinoma is only 12%, and more than 98% of the patients are dead within five years (2).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor in human pancreatic cancer is associated with concomitant increases in the levels of epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor alpha.

et al. 1992

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor is activated by both EGF and transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-a). Using immunohistochemical and immunoblotting techniques we now report that the EGF receptor, EGF, and TGF-a are found in both pancreatic acini and ducts in the normal human pancreas, and that all three proteins are expressed at higher levels in human pancreatic cancer tissues. Using in situ hybridization techniques, we also report that the mRNA encoding the EGF receptor, EGF, and TGF-a colocalize with their respective proteins. Northern blot analysis of total RNA indicates that, by comparison with the normal pancreas, the pancreatic tumors exhibit a 3-, 15-, and 10-fold increase in the mRNA levels encoding the EGF receptor, EGF, and TGF-a, respectively. Furthermore, by in situ hybridization, there is a marked increase in these mRNA moieties within the tumor mass. These findings suggest that EGF and TGF-a may participate in the regulation of normal pancreatic exocrine function, and that overexpression of the EGF receptor and its two principal ligands may contribute to the pathophysiological processes that occur in human pancreatic cancer. (J. Clin. Invest. 1992Invest. . 90:1352Invest. -1360

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%