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Updated: May 27, 2026

Reprogramming Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma to Pluripotency
Published on: February 2, 2024
Epidermal growth factor receptor and insulinlike growth factor 1 receptor expression predict poor survival in
Matias E Valsecchi1, Mary McDonald, Jonathan R Brody
1Department of Medical Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Matias.Valsecchi@jeffersonhospital.org
Background:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and insulinlike growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) proteins and IGF-1R gene copy numbers in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma in relation to patients' characteristics and prognosis.
Methods:
Immunohistochemical staining was performed on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue derived from tumor specimens recovered during surgery. Slides were evaluated for membranous EGFR and IGF-1R staining using both the HercepTest and the semiquantitative H-score systems. Chromogenic in situ hybridization was performed to quantify IGF-1R gene copy number. The primary outcome was the association between EGFR expression, IGF-1R expression-in both neoplastic epithelial and stromal cells-or IGF-1R gene copy number and overall survival. Secondary outcomes included associations between EFGR and IGF-1R expression and pathologic variables.
Results:
A total of 105 patients were included. EGFR expression was present in 30.4% of cases and was associated with lymph node metastasis (P = .038). IGF-1R was overexpressed in 53% of tumors and correlated with higher tumor grade (P = .033). High membranous expression of EGFR (P < .001) and/or IGF-1R (P = .004), the cytoplasmic detection of EGFR (P = .027), and high expression levels of IGF-1R in the tumoral stroma (P < .001) were all associated with shorter overall survival, being significantly better in patients who simultaneously do not express membranous EGFR or stromal IGF-1R.
Conclusions:
EGFR and IGF-1R expression, in neoplastic and stromal cells, seems to be an important prognostic factor.
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