Clinical significance of expression of p21 and p53 proteins and proliferating cell nuclear antigen in pancreatic cancer

Objective: To study the clinical significance and effectof p21, p53 protein as well as proliferating cell nuc-lear antigen (PCNA) on the occurrence and develop-ment of pancreatic carcinoma.Method: p21, p53 protein and PCNA expressionswere detected in specimens from 30 patients withpancreatic carcinoma and 3 samples of normal pan-creatic tissue by immunohistochemistry. The datawere analyzed together with clinical findings.Results: The positive expression rates of p21 and p53proteins were 75.0% and 57.3% respectively in pan-creatic carcinoma, which were significantly differentfrom those in the normal tissue (P<0.05). p21 andp53 proteins were positively correlated (P<0.05).The positive expression of PCNA was 43.33%±17.99%, that was significantly higher than that inthe normal pancreatic tissue (P<0.05). The expres-sion of PCNA was correlated with the histologicalgrade (P<0.05). The positive expression rate wasconsistent with the exacerbation of cancer. The ex-pression was also correlated significantly with prog-nosis and p53 expression (P<0.05).Conclusions: The occurrence and development ofpancreatic cancer are the result of associated functionfor many oncogenes and antioncogenes. PCNA maybe helpful to identify malignant degree and prognosisof pancreatic cancer.