Background: The differentiation of chronic pancreatitis (CP) from pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PA) remains a great challenge. The purpose of the study was to compare the prevalence of p16 and K-ras mutation in PA and CP in order to evaluate their usefulness in differential diagnosis of those diseases.
Methods: The study included 44 patients who underwent Whipple resection or distal pancreatectomy for PA (23 subjects) or CP (21 subjects). DNA from pancreatic tissue was analysed for K-ras mutation (codon 12) and p16 mutations with PCR amplifications.
Results: The K-ras gene mutation has been shown in 17 (73,9%) cases with pancreatic adenocarcinoma which was significantly more often than in chronic pancreatitis - 9 (42,8%) (p<0,01). Prevalence of p16 mutations in patients with PA was 18 (78,3%) and with CP - 7 (33,3%) (p<0,01). K-ras and p16 mutations together have been observed in 16 (69,6%) cases in patients with PC and only in 3 (14,3%) - with CP (p<0,01). No statistically significant association between K-ras or p16 mutations and tumor size, sex or patient age has been observed.
Conclusion: It is suggested that simultaneous measurement of K-ras and p16 mutations may provide an additional tool in differential diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic adenocarcinoma.