Most human carcinomas of the exocrine pancreas contain mutant c-K-ras genes

Almoguera, Concepción; Shibata, D.; Forrester, K.; Martín, J.; Amheim, N.; Perucho, M.; National Institutes of Health; National Cancer Institute; Asahi Kasei Corporation

Most human carcinomas of the exocrine pancreas contain mutant c-K-ras genes

1988

Using in vitro gene amplification by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and mutation detection by the RNAase A mismatch cleavage method, we have examined, c-K-ras genes in human pancreatic carcinomas. We used frozen tumor specimens and single 5 μm sections from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor tissue surgically removed or obtained at autopsy. Twenty-one out of 22 carcinmas of the exocrine pancreas contained c-K-ras genes with mutations at codon 12. In seven cases tested, the mutation was present in both primary tumors and their corresponding metastases. from the same cancer patients or in five gall bladder carcinomas. We conclude from these results that c-K-ras somatic mutational activation is a critical event in the oncogenesis of most, if not all, human cancers of the exocrine pancreas.

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This work was supported by National Institutes of Health grants awarded by the National Cancer Institute to M. P. and by the General Medical Sciences to N. A., and by a grant from Toyo Jozo Co. Ltd.

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Peer reviewed

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