title: Low incidence of H-, K- and N-ras oncogene mutations in cytological specimens of laryngeal tumours.
abstract: Laryngeal cancer is a rare type of neoplasia, constituting approximately 2% of all human cancers. Mutations of the ras gene family is one of the main activating mechanisms in human cancer. Their involvement in head and neck cancer has been mainly demonstrated at the level of the overexpression whereas ras mutations in these cancers are rare in the Western world. In the present study we explored the incidence of codon 12-point mutation in the H-, K- and N-ras genes, in 41 laryngeal cytological specimens. These specimens corresponded to 19 benign and 22 malignant lesions of the larynx. Only two specimens carried a codon 12-point mutation in the K-ras gene (4.8%) while no mutation was detected in the H- and N-ras genes. K-ras mutations were detected in one benign and one malignant specimen. These results indicate low incidence of ras oncogene mutations in laryngeal cytological specimens.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology, Medical School, University of Crete, PO Box 1393, Heraklion 71409, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rizos
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sourvinos
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Arvanitis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Velegrakis
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Spandidos
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D003062:Codon; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D011905:Genes, ras / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D017354:Point Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
chemical_list: D003062:Codon; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm