The purpose of this study was to understand the characteristics of PDEF protein expression in breast and prostate cancer progression. A polyclonal antibody specific to PDEF was raised and reacted with tissue microarrays consisting of benign breast, in situ ductal, invasive ductal and invasive lobular breast carcinomas. The antibody was also reacted with tissue microarrays including benign prostate, prostate intra-epithelial neoplasias and prostate carcinomas. Increased expression of PDEF was identified in 18%, 50%, 46% and 51% of benign breast tissues, intraductal, invasive ductal and invasive lobular carcinomas, respectively. Importantly, in matched samples of benign breast versus tumor, 90% showed higher expression of PDEF in the tumor tissue. Moreover, in invasive breast carcinomas, increased PDEF expression tended to correlate with Her2/neu over expression. Increased expression of PDEF was also found in 27%, 33% and 40% of benign prostate tissues, PIN samples and prostate adenocarcinomas, respectively. Again, in matching samples of cancer versus benign and cancer versus PIN, 68% and 70% respectively showed increased expression in the malignant tissue. Moreover, PDEF was found to be more highly expressed in tumors with intermediate or high Gleason score compared to low grade tumors (P<0.01). Additionally, R1881 treatment induced PDEF expression in the LNCaP prostate tumor cell line, suggesting regulation of PDEF by androgens in vivo. Together, these results for the first time show frequent increased expression of PDEF protein in breast and prostate tumors and support a role for PDEF in breast and prostate cancer progression.

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The absence of mutations in exon 17 of CD117+ SCLC suggests this tumour may respond to therapy with TKI.

We have previously demonstrated that uPA is overexpressed in pancreatic tumors. In an attempt to diagnose these tumors earlier, we sought to determine whether uPA could be identified in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography obtained brushings in patients with malignant pancreatic and biliary strictures. Secondarily, uPA was measured in the serum of this patient population. uPA overexpression was identified in the cytologic tissue in 8 of 11 patients (72.7%). Serum analysis demonstrated a 2-fold higher concentration of uPA in the pancreaticobiliary cancer patients (1.27 versus 0.56 ng/mL; P = .0182). Also, uPA overexpression correlated with serum levels (P < .0001). This study confirms that uPA can be detected in the ERCP cytologically obtained tissue and is frequently present in a higher concentration in the serum of pancreaticobiliary cancer patients. A larger sample size will be required to address its value as a sensitive marker for the diagnosis of pancreatic or biliary cancers.