Copy number of cancer genes predict tumor grade and survival of pancreatic cancer patients.
Pancreatic cancer is on the increase. While means of early diagnosis are being sought, it continues to present late. Prognostication is based on patient and tumor characteristics, including expression or mutation of cancer-related genes. Few studies have examined the impact of the amplification of these genes on the outcome of pancreatic cancer. We have now used a non-radioisotopic slot-blot technique to relate gene copy numbers of p53, c-myc and K-ras to tumor grade and survival. Outcomes were corrected for patient characteristics, tumor location and TNM staging. The Kaplan-Meier test for likelihood of survival showed that increase in copy number of the two oncogenes and loss of p53 were associated with non-significant reduction in survival. When these variations in cancer gene copy numbers were, however, examined by logistic regression analysis in the context of patient and tumor characteristics, survival was negatively related to K-ras amplification (p = 0.0291). Tumor grade, but not survival was positively related to loss of p53 gene copy (p = 0.0131) as well as c-myc amplification (p = 0.0248). Thus using a simple non-radioisotopic technique for the detection of cancer gene copy number in association with patients and disease characteristics, we could predict survival on the one hand and tumor behavior on the other. Such information could be used to plan initial and follow-up therapy.
Nagy
A
A
Department of Pathology, University Medical School of Debrecen, Hungary.
Kozma
L
L
Kiss
I
I
Ember
I
I
Takacs
I
I
Hajdu
J
J
Farid
N R
NR
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D018628:Gene Dosage; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000235:genetics*; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017741:Survivors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics*
D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C501009:HRAS protein, human; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)