K-ras mutation, p53 overexpression, and microsatellite instability in biliary tract cancers: A population-based study in China

The genetic alterations in biliary tract cancer and clinicopathological associations have not been studied in large population-based studies. We evaluated genetic alterations such as K-ras mutation, p53 overexpression, microsatellite instability (MSI), and alterations of the polyadenine tract present in the transforming growth factor beta receptor type II (TGFbetaRII) gene in 126 biliary tract cancers: 75 gallbladder cancers, 33 bile duct cancers, and 18 ampullary cancers. These genetic alterations were compared with patient demographics and clinicopathological characteristics of the tumors. Mutation of the K-ras gene was present in 18 of 126 (14.3%) biliary tract cancers. K-ras mutation was present in 11 of 18 (61.1%) ampullary cancers, 5 of 33 (15.2%) bile duct cancers, and 2 of 75 (2.7%) gallbladder cancers (P = 0.000001). The mean survival of patients who had bile duct carcinomas with K-ras mutation was 3.0 +/- 2.2 months compared with 15.5 +/- 12.5 months for those without mutation (P = 0.03) but was not different for other tumor sites. p53 overexpression was present in 34 of 123 (27.6%) cancers. MSI-high (allelic shifts in 40% or more loci or alteration of the TGFbetaRII gene) was present in 4 of 126 (3.2%) biliary tract cancers without hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer. MSI-high was more common in mucinous adenocarcinomas (P = 0.006) and in patients with early age of onset of cancer (P = 0.04). The genetic alterations in biliary tract cancers are dependent on the tumor subsite, histology, and age of onset and are associated with prognosis.