title: Lifetime history of tobacco consumption and K-ras mutations in exocrine pancreatic cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We analyzed the relation between mutations in codon 12 of the K-ras oncogene and lifetime consumption of tobacco in patients with exocrine pancreatic cancer (EPC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Incident cases of EPC were prospectively identified and interviewed during hospital admission about smoking and other factors. Exact logistic regression was used to compare EPC cases (N = 107) with and without K-ras mutations (case-case study).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mutated cases were nonsignificantly less likely to have been smokers than wild-type cases: the odds ratio adjusted by age and sex was 0.54 (95% confidence interval, 0.10-2.69; P = 0.613). With respect to never smokers, adjusted odds ratios for former and current smokers were 0.79 and 0.36, respectively (P = 0.193). Pack-years smoked, years of smoking, and cigarettes smoked per year also tended to be higher in nonmutated than in mutated cases. Neither age at onset of smoking nor the time between quitting and diagnosis were associated with K-ras.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tobacco does not play a major part in the acquisition of K-ras mutations in the pancreatic epithelium. Although both smoking and K-ras mutations have important roles in the etiopathogenesis of EPC, the 2 processes may act independently.
authors.affiliation: Institut Municipal d'Investigació Mèdica, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Crous-Bou
authors.forename: Miquel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Porta
authors.forename: Tomàs
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jariod
authors.forename: Núria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Malats
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alguacil
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: Esteve
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.forename: Josep M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Corominas
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carrato
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guarner
authors.forename: Francisco X
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Real
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003062:Codon / Q000235:genetics; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009154:Mutation; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D003062:Codon