title: Mutations and amplification of oncogenes in endometrial cancer.
abstract: Alterations in oncogenes are critical steps in the development of endometrial cancer. To investigate the potential clinical relevance of the amplification of the oncogenes c-erbB2, c-myc, and int-2 and the mutation of K-ras in endometrial cancer, 112 tumors were examined using PCR-based fluorescent DNA technology. Amplification of the three oncogenes and the mutation of K-ras were correlated with age, tumor size, lymph node status, metastases, stage, histological types, grade, steroid hormone receptor expression (estrogen receptor, ER; progesterone receptor, PgR), family history of cancer, previous history of cancer or precursor lesions, and previous history of hormone replacement therapy. Oncogene amplification of c-erbB2 was detected in 18.9%, of c-myc in 2.7% and of int-2 in 4.2%, and K-ras mutation in 11.6%. No significant correlations could be detected between amplification of c-erbB2 and any of the other parameters. Mutation of K-ras is associated with positive expression of PgR. This might indicate that mutation and activation of K-ras are involved in the development of hormonal independence in endometrial cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany. niederac@uni-duesseldorf.de
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Niederacher
authors.forename: H X
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Y J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hantschmann
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Bender
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Beckmann
mesh_terms: D017931:DNA Primers; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005453:Fluorescence; D005784:Gene Amplification; D018734:Genes, erbB-2 / Q000235:genetics; D016259:Genes, myc / Q000235:genetics; D011905:Genes, ras / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes / Q000235:genetics*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm