AMPLIFICATIONS OF PROTOONCOGENES IN OVARIAN-CARCINOMA

Thirty-two cases of ovarian carcinoma, two of normal ovaries, four of benign epithelial ovarian turner, and three of borderline epithelial o varian tumor were studied using Southern blot hybridization of DNA. In 15 of the 32 cases of ovarian carcinoma, peripheral lymphocytes were also studied. The am plification rate of C-myc, C-N-ras, C-Ki-ras and C-erbB-2 in ovarian carcinoma were 50%, 44%, 31% and 25% respectively. The amplification of C-Ki-ras and C-N-ras took place chiefly in cases of early stage and those of good differentiation. The amplification o f C-N-ras was also found in cases of advanced stage. The amplification s of C-myc and C-erbB-2 were chiefly found in cases above stage III an d those of poor differentiation. A total of 83% of the patients who di ed were found to Rave amplifications of more than 2 proto-oncogenes, w ith which the amplification of C-erbB-2 was involved.