Genomic Differences Found in Types of Cervical Cancer

The study, published August 23, 2013 in the online version of the journal Cancer by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), is the first to compare the spectrum of cancer-related gene mutations in the two main subtypes of cervical cancer -- adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. In tests on 80 cervical tumor samples, the investigators found high rates of mutations in two genes: PIK3CA and KRAS. WhilePIK3CA mutations appeared in both subtypes, KRAS mutations were found only in adenocarcinomas.

By linking their findings to data on patients' treatment and survival, researchers found that PIK3CA mutations are associated with a shorter survival period: patients whose tumors carried these mutations lived a median of 67 months after diagnosis compared with 90 months for patients whose tumors lacked the mutations.

"We have historically treated cervical cancers as one disease," says the study's lead author, Alexi Wright, MD, MPH, of the Susan F. Smith Center for Women's Cancers at Dana-Farber. "However, our findings suggest that some patients may be at higher risk of dying from their disease and might benefit from a more tailored treatment approach."




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