We have performed mutational profiling of 25 genes involved in epigenetic processes on 135 gastric cancer (GC) samples. In total, we identified 79 somatic mutations in 49/135 (36%) samples. The minority (n = 8) of mutations was identified in DNA methylation/demethylation genes, while the majority (n = 41), in histone modifier genes, among which mutations were most commonly found in KMT2D and KMT2C. Somatic mutations in KMT2D, KMT2C, ARID1A and CHD7 were mutually exclusive (p = 0.038). Mutations in ARID1A were associated with distant metastases (p = 0.03). The overall survival of patients in the group with metastases and in the group with tumors with signet ring cells was significantly reduced in the presence of mutations in epigenetic regulation genes (p = 0.036 and p = 0.041, respectively). Separately, somatic mutations in chromatin remodeling genes correlate with low survival rate of patients without distant metastasis (p = 0.045) and in the presence of signet ring cells (p = 0.0014). Our results suggest that mutations in epigenetic regulation genes may be valuable clinical markers and deserve further exploration in independent cohorts.
Keywords: epigenetic regulation genes; gastric cancer; molecular genetic markers; somatic mutations.