title: [Significance of detection of K-ras gene mutations and CA19-9 in serum for diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The early diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma is difficult. The serum tumor markers such as CA19-9 have a relatively high sensitivity but with low specificity. The oncogene K-ras is frequently mutated in pancreatic carcinoma and with high specificity. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of detection of K-ras mutation combined with serum content of CA19-9 as an approach for diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum DNA was extracted from 39 patients with pancreatic carcinoma. Mutation enriched polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to determine codon 12 mutations of K-ras. Serum content of CA19-9 was determined by radioimmunoassay. In addition, the sera from 17 patients with other pancreatic diseases and 21 healthy individuals were also analyzed as control.
  
  
  RESULTS
  K-ras gene mutations at codon 12 were detected in the sera of 71.79%(28/39) patients with pancreatic carcinoma and 11.76%(2/17) of patients with benign pancreatic tumors. The positive rates of CA19-9 were 71.79% and 41.18%, respectively. Parallel combined test increased the diagnostic sensitivity to 94.87%; and serial combined test increased the diagnostic specificity to 94.12%. Negative results of K-ras gene and CA19-9 were obtained in all sera from healthy controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combined detection of K-ras mutation and CA19-9 could increase the sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing pancreatic carcinoma, and would seem to be merited in clinic.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Digestive Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai, 200025, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shu-Rong
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Dian-Xu
authors.initials: DX
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Tian-Quan
authors.initials: TQ
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen