C-MYC MUTATION DETECTED BY POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION HETERODUPLEX IN CERVICAL-CANCER

To evaluate both the incidence of c-myc gene mutation and the relation ship of this finding to the clinico-pathologic characteristics of pati ents with cervical cancer, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based het eroduplex gel electrophoresis method was used to screen DNA extracted from 102 cervical invasive carcinomas referred to the Department of Ob stetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. C-myc m utation was detected and then characterised by sequencing of PCR produ cts in 4 cases (4%). The incidence of c-myc mutation in patients with advanced stage tumours (stage III-IV, 11%) was statistically higher th an in those with early stages (stage I-II, 1%, p = 0.05). There was al so a significant difference in the incidence of c-myc mutation among t he patients who had died of their disease (10%), were alive with evide nce of disease (25%), and those without evidence of disease (0%, p = 0 .0003). These findings indicate that the c-myc mutation is not common in cervical cancer, but where it exists, it may be associated with can cer progression and poorer outcome. Whether the c-myc mutation is an a djunct prognostic indicator in cervical cancer remains to be establish ed in a larger study.