Detection of K-ras mutations in cancerous lesions of human endometrium.
The many genetic changes associated with human carcinogenesis include the activation and/or inactivation of various genes. Polymerase-chain reaction and single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis [PCR-SSCP] was used to detect alterations at exon 1 of the K-ras gene in 20 lesions of human endometrium. Six cases of endometrial hyperplasia, 13 of endometrial carcinoma and one of endometrial metastasis of ovarian cancer were analyzed. Mutations at exon 1 of the K-ras gene were detected in two of 13 human endometrial carcinoma [15%]; both were histologically defined adenocarcinomas, stage Ib and stage IIa according to the FIGO. Alterations were also observed in the single case of endometrial metastasis of ovarian cancer. It is worthy of note that among the six women with hyperplasic endometrial lesions K-ras gene mutation were not reported. These data suggest that K-ras activation is rare in Polish women and when it does occur it is in cancerous, but not in precancerous, lesions of human endometrium.
Semczuk
A
A
Department of Gynaecological Surgery, University School of Medicine, Lublin, Poland.
Berbéc
H
H
Kostuch
M
M
Kotarski
J
J
Wojcierowski
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004714:Endometrial Hyperplasia / Q000235:genetics*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational