The present study shows that: (1) the level of caveolin-1 expression is elevated in pancreatic adenocarcinoma relative to non-neoplastic ductal epithelium, (2) caveolin-1 expression is related to tumour diameter and histopathologic grade, and (3) positive caveolin-1 expression is an independent unfavourable prognostic factor following surgical resection. This evidence concerns the gene CAV1 and pancreatic adenocarcinoma.