Absence of NRAS Mutations in Ampulla of Vater Carcinoma

Abstract

Ampulla of vater carcinomas (AVCs) are malignancies that occur in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. AVCs mainly remain asymptomatic until the more advanced stages of tumor, making it imperative to identify early diagnostic tools. In addition to this, it is pertinent to also understand the factors that may contribute to cancer progression. In this study, we have collected paraffin embedded tissues from 38 AVC patients and blood samples from 38 controls to study the mutational profile of NRAS in AVCs. In addition to this, general characteristics such as tumor size, stage, differentiation and tumor subtype were taken into account in this study. The lifestyle factors were obtained from the patients and the controls were matched accordingly. We observed no mutations in the NRAS gene in our cohort. Studies with a larger cohort are necessary to better understand the mutational profile of AVCs to provide better therapeutic and treatment options. More research is essential in this area to pinpoint the molecular landscape of AVCs