title: High-incidence of PTEN mutations in Chinese patients with primary small cell carcinoma of the esophagus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Primary small cell carcinoma of the esophagus (PSCCE) is a rare and aggressive tumor with poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the existence of EGFR, KRAS, PIK3CA and PTEN mutations in PSCCE.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical-pathological data and paraffin-embedded specimens were collected from 38 patients. Exons 18 to 21 of EGFR, KRAS and PIK3CA status were analyzed by real-time PCR based on ARMS and Scorpion technology in all patients, and the PTEN gene was also screened using real-time PCR and high-resolution melting curve analysis (HRMA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only 1 (2.63%) out of 38 patients had EGFR mutations in L858R missense, and KRAS and PIK3CA were not found in the mutational spot in all patients. However, PTEN mutations presented in 14 (36.84%) out of 38 patients, including exon 5 coding for PTEN missense mutation (n =4, 10.53%), exon 6 (n =7, 18.42%), concurrent exon 5 and exon 6 (n =2, 5.26%), and exon 8 (n =1, 2.63%). Concurrent mutations of these genes were not detected in all samples. No statistically significant associations were found between the clinicopathological features and the mutation status of PTEN.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of PTEN mutations in Chinese patients with PSCCE was higher than that of previous reports in other histological subtypes of esophageal cancer.
authors.forename: Zhimin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hualiang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Zhenzhou
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zengpeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Cancer Center, Institute of Surgical Research, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China. wangge70@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Ge
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase; C494929:PTEN protein, human