RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the correlation between the expressions of hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and insulin in pancreatic cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HIF-1α and insulin expression was detected by immunohistochemistry in the center and the edge of pancreatic adenocarcinoma specimens of 65 cases. Western blot was used to detect HIF-1α expression and insulin level in the center and the edge of pancreatic adenocarcinoma specimens of 28 cases. The relationship between HIF-1α expression and insulin level in the pancreatic cancer was analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The results of immunohistochemistry and Western blot showed that HIF-1α protein expression was high in both the center and the edge of pancreatic cancers (P > 0.05), and insulin level was significantly higher at the edge of specimen than that in the center (P < 0.05). HIF-1α protein and insulin levels were positively correlated at the edge of cancer tissue (r = 0.374, P < 0.05), but no significant correlation between them in the center of cancerous tissue (r = -0.145, P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Insulin may promote the local invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer by up-regulating HIF-1α.</p>