J Korean Cancer Assoc.  2000 Oct;32(5):981-988.

K-ras Mutation in Ampulla of Vater Cancer

• Park SJ
• Kim SW
• Kim WH
• Jang JY
• Park YH

Abstract

PURPOSE: The aims of this study was to elucidate the role of the K-ras mutation (codon 12) in the carcinogenesis of ampulla of Vater cancer.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
31 cases of radically resected ampullary cancer cases were enrolled. 18 cases harbored the adenomatous portions adjacent to carcinomatous portions. Utilizing a two-step nested PCR with RFLP method, we examined the K-ras mutation in a total of 90 samples (normal mucosas (N=31), carcinomatous portions (N=31), adenomatous portions (N=18), and metastatic lymph nodes (N=10)).
RESULTS
In the carcinomatous portion, K-ras mutations in codon 12 were detected in 48.4%. In the adenomatous portions, 10 cases (55.6%) out of 18 displayed the K-ras mutation. In the metastatic lymph nodes, K-ras mutation was found in 4 cases out of 10. After sequencing, 4 mutant types (GTT, GAT, GCT and TGT) of codon 12 (normally GGT) in the ampulla of Vater cancer were detected and the mutated types in the adenomatous portions, carcinomatous portions and metastatic lymph nodes in the same cases were identical.
CONCLUSION
The presence of concomitant K-ras mutation in both the adenomatous and carcinomatous portions in some cases may suggest the role of K-ras mutation in the early carcinogenesis of ampulla of Vater cancer.

Keyword

Ampulla of Vater neoplasm; K-ras gene; Mutation; Carcinogenesis

MeSH Terms

Ampulla of Vater*
Carcinogenesis
Codon
Genes, ras
Lymph Nodes
Mucous Membrane
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
Codon