## 3 Results
### Correlation between the Expression of SATB1, SMAD3, Ezrin and \(\beta\)-Catenin in Own Cohort  
A weak negative and significant association was found between the expression of \(\beta\)-catenin and SATB1n (r = \(-\)0.291, \(p\) = 0.015). In addition, a weak positive and significant association was revealed between the expression of \(\beta\)-catenin and SMAD3 (r = 0.251, \(p\) = 0.039). Furthermore, moderate positive and significant association was confirmed between the expression of \(\beta\)-catenin and SATB1c (r = 0.321, \(p\) = 0.007). A weak positive association was also noted between the expression of SATB1c and SMAD3, but this correlation did not reach statistical significance (r = 0.214, \(p\) = 0.08).  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c} \hline \hline \multicolumn{5}{c}{**Univariate Analysis of Own Cohort**} \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Variable**} & \multirow{2}{*}{**HR**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**95\% CI**} \\ \cline{3-5}  & & **Lower** & **Upper** & **\(p\) Value** \\ \hline SATB1n & 1.73 & 0.86 & 3.47 & 0.12 \\ \hline SATB1c & 1.87 & 1.03 & 3.40 & **0.039** \\ \hline SMAD3 & 2.40 & 1.31 & 4.40 & **0.005** \\ \hline Ezrin & 1.80 & 0.98 & 3.30 & 0.06 \\ \hline \(\beta\)-catenin & 1.64 & 0.92 & 2.92 & 0.09 \\ \hline age & 1.03 & 1.00 & 1.07 & **0.04** \\ \hline gender & 0.96 & 0.56 & 1.65 & 0.88 \\ \hline grading & 0.95 & 0.37 & 2.41 & 0.91 \\ \hline pN & 1.30 & 0.74 & 2.27 & 0.36 \\ \hline pT & 1.09 & 0.53 & 2.27 & 0.81 \\ \hline TNM stage & 2.08 & 1.09 & 3.98 & **0.03** \\ \hline PNI & 1.58 & 0.89 & 2.82 & 0.12 \\ \hline LVI & 2.16 & 1.17 & 3.96 & **0.01** \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular} Significant \(p\) values (\(p\) < 0.05) are marked in bold. Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; HR, hazard ratio; LVI—vascular invasion; PNI—perineural invasion.  
\end{table}
Table 2: Univariate analysis of prognostic factors by [PERSON] proportional hazard model in own cohort.  
Comparison of mRNA Expression in Cancer and Normal Tissue and Its Relation to Clinicopathological Characteristics in TCGA Cohort  
In 177 PAC, based on the established cutpoint, high _SATB1_ mRNA expression of _SATB1_ mRNA was observed for 106 cases (59.89%). There was no significant difference in the expression levels of SATB1 between PAC and normal pancreatic tissues (\(p\) = 0.9694; Figure 4A). _SATB1_ level was dependent on pN status (\(p\) = 0.026). In the case of _SMAD3_ more samples were characterized by high expression (\(n\) = 103, 58.19%) than low (\(n\) = 74, 41.81%). The expression of _SMAD3_ mRNA was significantly higher in PAC tissues compared to normal pancreatic tissues (\(p\) < 0.0001; Figure 4B). _SMAD3_ expression correlated with grading (\(p\) = 0.012), pT status (\(p\) = 0.026) and TMN stage (\(p\) = 0.008). High _EZR_ mRNA levels were found in 145 (81.92%) PAC cases, whereas the remaining 32 (18.08%) had low levels of this marker. The expression of _EZR_ mRNA in PAC tissues was significantly up-regulated as compared with normal pancreatic tissues (\(p\) < 0.0001; Figure 4C). _EZR_ level was dependent on grading (\(p\) = 0.02), pT status (\(p\) = 0.0157) and TNM stage (\(p\) = 0.0007). More of the patients were characterized by high _CTNNB1_ expression (\(n\) = 120, 67.80%) than low (\(n\