RESUMO
This histochemical binding of horseradish peroxidase labeled peanut agglutinin (HRP?PNA) to paraffin sections of 18 cases of pancreatic cancer was investigated with 5 case of normal pancreas and 8 pancreatitis as the control. The PAN receptor was not found in the normal pancreas, but it appeared in 15 cases of pancreatic cancer (82%). Three cases of pancreatitis presented positive stainings of PNA binding (37%). There were 3 kinds of PNA binding forms: (1) linear distribution along the gland of carcinoma cells; (2) round staining with the ductal epithelium; and (3) diffuse scattering with an increased dot staining. There was a good relationship between the staining degree and cell differentiation. The positive staining increased when the cell was transformed from inflammation to carcinogenesis, and decreased from well differentiation to poorly differentiation.