Gene alterations in intestinal metaplasia and gastric cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To review genetic alterations in precancerous lesions and adenocarcinoma of the stomach.


RESULTS
Telomere reduction, tpr-met oncogenic rearrangement, overexpression of cripto, p53 mutations, adenomatous polyposis coli gene mutations and K-ras mutations, which are frequently associated with the well differentiated or intestinal type of stomach cancer, were found in intestinal metaplasia and adenoma of the stomach.


CONCLUSIONS
Among these genetic alterations, reduction of telomere repeat arrays might be the initial step in the genetic instability of stomach carcinogenesis. Some of the well differentiated type stomach cancers may develop by an accumulation of multiple gene changes similar to those of colorectal cancer.
Tahara
E
E
First Department of Pathology, Hiroshima University School of Medicine, Japan.
Kuniyasu
H
H
Yasui
W
W
Yokozaki
H
H
D001483:Base Sequence; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D015870:Gene Expression; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D007422:Intestines / Q000473:pathology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008679:Metaplasia / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D009857:Oncogenes / Q000235:genetics*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D016615:Telomere
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C070636:TDGF1 protein, human; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor