Secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) is a protein which governs diverse cellular functions and matrix remodeling systems. It was reported that SPARC expression of peritumoral fibroblasts was correlated with poor prognosis in resectable pancreatic cancer patients in immunohistochemical analysis. However, the significance of SPARC mRNA expression in pancreatic adenocarcinoma remains unclear.
Department of Surgery and Oncology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan. miyoshi@surg1.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp