LOW-FREQUENCY OF SOMATIC MUTATIONS IN THE LKB1 PEUTZ-JEGHERS-SYNDROMEGENE IN SPORADIC BREAST-CANCER/

Germ line mutations in the LKB1 gene on chromosome 19p are responsible for most cases of the Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, in which intestinal ham artomas are associated with elevated risks of several cancer types, in cluding breast cancer. We have evaluated the role of somatic mutations in LKB1 in breast cancer, Of 40 informative primary breast cancers, 3 showed loss of heterozygosity on chromosome 19p in the vicinity of LK B1, and no somatic mutations of LKB1 were observed in 62 primary breas t cancers and 17 established breast cancer cell lines, The results ind icate that mutations in LKB1 do not play an important role in the deve lopment of sporadic breast cancer.