Association of Genetic Polymorphisms with Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Progression
Harvard-Westlake School, CA.
Citation: Helen Yang, “Association of Genetic Polymorphisms with Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Progression”, American
Research Journal of Biosciences, Vol 8, no. 1, 2023, pp. 7-10.
Abstract
Abstract:
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most malignant types of cancer. It is characterized by insidious onset, aggressive tumor growth, and early metastasis. Advances in treatment strategies are critically needed. In this research project, it is hypothesized that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Chromosome 17 may play a role in the development and progression of metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Method: Blood samples from a total of 229 individuals were previously collected from various clinical cohorts, including patients with primary pancreatic cancer (n=61), metastatic pancreatic cancer (n=47), as well as healthy control (n=121). DNA sequencing in Chromosome 17 from all the samples was also obtained previously. The research work started by obtaining a source database from the National Library of Medicine. The bioinformatics analysis programs Binary Variant Call Format (BCFtools), Sequences Alignment Map Tools (SAMtools), and Burrows-Wheeler Aligner (BWA) were then downloaded and used to analyze and sort the sequences into data tables. Finally, the Entrez Molecular Sequence Database system was used to identify mutations found as SNPs.
Results: 153 mutations were identified. Among them, 10 SNPs were unique and frequent to the metastasized pancreatic cancer samples studied. Specifically, 87-94% of the samples from the metastasized pancreatic cancer patients carry at least one of these 10 SNPs, whereas none of these SNPs were identified in the primary pancreatic cancer patients or in the control.
Conclusion: Overall, the finding may provide insight into the mutations that spur the growth and spread of pancreatic cancer cells, and may help inform the future development of new cancer treatments.
