title: Activated ras oncogenes in human thyroid cancers.
abstract: Human thyroid epithelial (follicular) cells give rise to two malignant tumors--"follicular" carcinomas, which metastasize almost exclusively via the bloodstream, and "papillary" carcinomas, which metastasize predominantly via lymphatics (Williams, E. D. In: W. Duncan (ed.), Recent Results in Cancer Research: Thyroid Cancer, pp. 47-55. Berlin: Springer-Verlag, 1980). We have investigated whether this contrast in biological behavior might be associated with different patterns of oncogene activation. DNA transfection analysis of five follicular and ten papillary cancers indeed showed a statistically significant difference in the pattern of genes responsible, activated ras oncogenes being found in 80% of follicular tumors but only 20% of papillary tumors. In addition, in follicular cancers we have found activation of all three ras oncogenes (H-ras, K-ras, and N-ras), the first time that this has been demonstrated in a primary human tumor type (as opposed to cell lines). We suggest therefore that ras activation may be an important determinant of metastatic capability in these epithelial cancers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Wales College of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Lemoine
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Mayall
authors.forename: F S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Wyllie
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Farr
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Padua
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Thurston
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wynford-Thomas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D014162:Transfection