AIM:DPC4 is a tumor suppressor gene on chromosome18q21.1 that has high mutant frequencies in pancreaticcarcinogenesis.The purpose of this study was to investigatethe role of DPC4 alterations in tumorigenesis and progressionof pancreatic carcinomas.METHODS:We studied the immunohistochemical markersof DPC4 in 34 adenocarcinomas and 16 nonmalignantspecimens from the pancreas.The 16 nonmalignantspecimens from the pancreas included 8 non-neoplastic cystsand 8 normal pancreatic tissues.The relationship betweenDPC4 alterations and various clinicopathological parameterswas evaluated by chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test.Survivals were calculated using Kaplan-Meier method(by alog-rank test).RESULTS:All the 16 nonmalignant cases of the pancreasshowed expression of DPC4 gene.Loss of DPC4 expressionwas seen in 8 of 34(23.5 %)pancreatic adenocarcinomas.The frequency of loss of DPC4 expression was higher inpoorly differentiated adenocarcinoma(G3)than in well andmoderately differentiated adenocarcinoma(G1 and G2)histologically(P=0.037).Loss of DPC4 expression of thepatients at TNM stage IV was also higher than that of thepatients at TNM stages Ⅰ,Ⅱ and Ⅲ(60.0 % at stage Ⅳ,versus 14.3 % at stage Ⅰ,18.2 % at stage Ⅱ,and 18.2 % atstage Ⅲ)(P=0.223).The mean and median survival inpatients with DPC4 expression was longer than those inpatients with loss of DPC4 expression.Kaplan-Meier survivalanalysis demonstrated patients with DPC4 expression had ahigher survival rate than patients with loss of DPC4expression,but the difference did not reach statisticalsignificance(P=0.879).CONCLUSION: This study suggests that DPC4 is involved in the development of pancreatic carcinoma and is a late event in pancreatic carcinogenesis, DPC4 expression may be a molecular prognostic marker for pancreatic carcinoma. AIM: DPC4 is a tumor suppressor gene on chromosome 18q21.1 that has high mutant frequencies in pancreaticcarcinogenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of DPC4 alterations in tumorigenesis and progression of pancreatic carcinomas. METHODS: We studied the immunohistochemical markers of DPC4 in 34 adenocarcinomas and 16 nonmalignantspecimens from the pancreas. The 16 nonmalignantspecimens from the pancreas included 8 non-neoplastic cysts and 8 normal pancreatic tissues. The relationship betweenDPC4 alterations and various clinicopathological parameterswas evaluated by chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test. Survivals were calculated using Kaplan-Meier method (by alog-rank test) .RESULTS: All the 16 nonmalignant cases of the pancreasshowed expression of DPC4 gene. Loss of DPC4 expression was seen in 8 of 34 (23.5%) pancreatic adenocarcinomas. The frequency of loss of DPC4 expression was higher inpoorly differentiated adenocarcinoma (G3) than in well and moderately differentiated adenocar The Coxma (Gl and G2) histologically (P = 0.037) .Loss of DPC4 expression of the patients at TNM stage IV was also higher than that of the patients at TNM stages I, II and III (60.0% at stage IV, versus 14.3% at stage Ⅰ, 18.2% at stage Ⅱ, and 18.2% atstage Ⅲ) (P = 0.223). The mean and median survival in patients with DPC4 expression was longer than those in patients with loss of DPC4 expression. Kaplan-Meier survivalanalysis demonstrated patients with DPC4 expression had ahigher survival rate than patients with loss of DPC4expression, but the difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.879) .CONCLUSION: This study suggests that DPC4 is involved in the development of pancreatic carcinoma and is a late event in pancreatic carcinogenesis, DPC4 expression may be a molecular prognostic marker for pancreatic carcinoma.