title: H-ras mutation is an additional event of sarcomatous transformation in aerodigestive spindle cell carcinoma.
abstract: The conversion from a carcinomatous component to a sarcomatous one in spindle cell carcinoma (SPCC) of the upper aerodigestive tract is thought to occur via a series of molecular alterations; however the detailed mechanism is still unknown. We examined mutations at the H-ras and p53 genes in 16 SPCCs of upper aerodigestive tracts using PCR-RFLP, PCR-SSCP and direct sequencing analysis. The two distinct components, sarcomatous and carcinomatous components in SPCC, were analyzed independently. p53 mutations were detected in both components of SPCC (50.0%, 8/16), and those in the sarcomatous component were completely in accordance with those in the carcinomatous one. In contrast, H-ras mutations were detected only in the sarcomatous component (12.5%, 2/16), and not in the carcinomatous one (0%, 0/16). There was a statistically significant difference in prognosis between the patients with the H-ras mutation (n=2) and those without (n=14); the former had poorer prognosis (P=0.0049). Our results seem to suggest that the H-ras mutation is a relatively uncommon event in SPCC; however, the presence of H-ras mutations may be associated with a more malignant potential in SPCC, while actually occurring during the sarcomatous change itself.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomic Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shiratsuchi
authors.forename: Naoya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hirakawa
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Yoshinao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Oda
authors.forename: Hidetaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Kichinobu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tomita
authors.forename: Tomoya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Masazumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsuneyoshi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D003062:Codon; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D005260:Female; D016158:Genes, p53; D011905:Genes, ras / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D011379:Prognosis; D012142:Respiratory Tract Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003062:Codon; D004247:DNA