Cancer Lett  2002 Jun 28;180(2):153-8 

Unique K-ras mutational pattern in pancreatic adenocarcinoma from Taiwanese
patients.

Wang JY, Lian ST, Chen YF, Yang YC, Chen LT, Lee KT, Huang TJ, Lin SR.

Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University, No. 100, Shih-Chuan 1st
Road, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.

To assess the prevalence and spectrum of K-ras mutations in Taiwanese patients
with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, we analyzed 20 patients of ductal adenocarcinoma
of the head of the pancreas undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy. The study
included K-ras mutations that were detected using DNA direct sequencing analysis
of the polymerase chain reaction products and confirmed by reverse sequencing
primers. The results showed that K-ras codon 12 mutation was detected in 90% of
the cancer tissues (18/20). Moreover, the results from direct sequencing
indicated that missense mutations were found to be a GGT to GTT in 94.5% of the
cases (17/18) and a GGT to TTT in 5.5% of the cases (1/18). All cases with K-ras
codon 12 mutations were found to be G to T transversion. However, no alterations
were found at codons 13 and 61. From these findings, the high prevalence of
K-ras codon 12 mutation in pancreatic adenocarcinoma and the predominant G to T
transversion with the preferential substitution of glycine with valine might
indicate an unusual sensitivity and specificity of this codon in genetic
alterations for pancreatic carcinogenesis. The strikingly high mutational rate
and the unique mutational spectrum of K-ras codon 12 in Taiwanese pancreatic
adenocarcinoma can provide us with more information about the alternative
diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in Taiwan.

PMID: 12175546 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]