OBJECTIVETo detect the expressions of heparanase and nuclear factor kappa B p65 (NF-kappaB p65) in pancreatic adenocarcinomas and analyze their relation to patients' prognosis and the regulatory mechanism of NF-kappaB on heparanase expression.

METHODSHeparanase and NF-kappaB p65 proteins in the tumor and adjacent tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry in 48 patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma and analyzed for their clinicopathological significance.

RESULTSHeparanase and NF-kappaB p65 proteins were found in 30 (62.5%) and 22 (45.9%) tumor specimens, respectively, a rate significantly higher than that in the adjacent tissues. High heparanase expression was closely related to advanced TNM stage (P=0.031), lymph node metastasis (P=0.003) and decreased 3-year postoperative survival (20.0% vs 0%, P=0.001). NF-kappaB p65 expression was associated with lymph node metastasis (P=0.017) and distant metastasis (P=0.031), but had a higher positive rate in heparanase-positive cases than in heparanase-negative cases (P=0.018). Multivariate analysis showed that neither heparanase nor NF-kappaB p65 was the independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONHeparanase is overexpressed in pancreatic adenocarcinomas in association with decreased postoperative survival. NF-kappaB may up-regulate heparanase expression and promote heparanase-dependent tumor invasion and metastasis.