Lack of p16 gene mutations in gastric cancers in Kashmir.

BACKGROUND AND AIM The focus of the study was to investigate the frequencies of homozygous deletions and mutations of p16 gene in gastric carcinomas in the Kashmiri population. METHODS A total of 84 gastric carcinoma patients were screened by the single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) technique and later by DNA sequencing to detect mutations of the p16 gene. Also PCR was applied further to further detect any homozygous deletions. RESULTS SSCP and DNA sequencing performed encompassing all the three exons of p16 gene could not detect any mutations in any ofl 84 cases. Though we could observe mobility shifts in SSCP of two samples, subsequent DNA sequencing did not show any mutation. Further PCR could not detect any homozygous deletion in P16 in any case. CONCLUSION Though Kashmir is a high incidence area of gastric carcinomas, p16gene mutations /or deletions do not appear to be involved.