International journal of cancer. Journal international du cancer
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Previous studies of molecular prognostic markers following resection for exocrine pancreatic cancer have produced conflicting results. Our aim was to undertake a comprehensive analysis of potentially useful molecular markers in a large, multicentre patient population and to compare these markers with standard pathological prognostic variables. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma were analysed from 157 patients [100 men and 57 women with a median (range) age of 60 (33-77) years] who had undergone pancreatectomy. ⋯ The presence of K-ras mutation alone did not correlate with survival, but there were significant differences in survival according to the type of K-ras mutation (p = 0.0007). Reduced survival was found in patients with GaT, cGT and GcT K-ras mutations compared to GtT, aGT and GaC mutations. In conclusion, survival was associated with type of K-ras mutation but not expression of p16(INK4), p53, p21(WAF1), cyclin D1, erbB-2 and erbB-3.