title: Long-term follow-up of chronic pancreatitis patients with K-ras mutation in the pancreatic juice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pancreatic cancer is known to occur during the course of chronic pancreatitis in some patients. This study aimed to identify a high risk group for developing pancreatic cancer associated with chronic pancreatitis, particularly the presence of K-ras mutations in the pancreatic juice.
  
  
  METHODS
  K-ras mutation was analyzed by enriched polymerase chain reaction-enzyme linked mini-sequence assay in endoscopically-collected pancreatic juice of 21 patients with chronic pancreatitis between 1995 and 2000. All of them were followed-up for 6.0 +/- 3.8 (mean +/- SD) years (range, 2.1-14.2 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  K-ras point mutation was observed in the pancreatic juice of 11 patients with chronic pancreatitis (2+, n=2; 1+, n=6; +/-, n=3). Of these, 2 chronic pancreatitis patients with 2+K-ras point mutation developed pancreatic cancer 4.5 and 10.8 years, respectively, after the examination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Two chronic pancreatitis patients with K-ras mutation developed pancreatic cancer 4.5 and 10.8 years later. Semiquantitative analysis of K-ras mutation in endoscopically-collected pancreatic juice appears to be a useful tool for identifying chronic pancreatitis patients at high risk for developing pancreatic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Komagome Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. kamisawa@cick.jp
authors.forename: Terumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kamisawa
authors.forename: Kensuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takuma
authors.forename: Taku
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tabata
authors.forename: Naoto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Egawa
authors.forename: Toshikazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D011905:Genes, ras / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010189:Pancreatic Juice / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000235:genetics*; D017354:Point Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers