Relationship between Malignant Transformation of Endometriosis and Genetic Alterations of K-ras and Microsatellite Instability

Abstract

Several genetic alterations have been associated with the malignant transformation from endometriosis to ovarian cancer. However, the role of each genetic alteration in this multi-step process of tumorigenesis has not been clarified. Regions of endometriosis, atypical endometriosis, and ovarian endometrioid carcinoma were separated by laser microdissection, and examined for the presence of K-ras mutation and microsatellite instability. K-ras mutation and microsatellite instability were detected in endometrioid carcinoma tissue, but not in endometriosis and atypical endometriosis bordering the cancerous region. K-ras mutation and microsatellite instability may be associated with the malignant transformation from atypical endometriosis to ovarian endometrioid carcinoma, but not from endometriosis to atypical endometriosis.