PIK3CA alterations in Middle Eastern ovarian cancers

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• The PI3K/AKT signaling pathway is crucial for cell growth and tumorgenesis.
• This pathway is frequently altered in various cancers, including ovarian cancer.
• Its role in Middle Eastern epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) remains underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate PI3K/AKT pathway genetic alterations in Middle Eastern EOC.
• To analyze PIK3CA amplification, PIK3CA mutation, and PTEN protein loss.
• To correlate these alterations with clinicopathological characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for PIK3CA amplification.
• DNA sequencing for gene mutations (PIK3CA, KRAS, BRAF, p53).
• Immunohistochemistry for protein expression (PIK3CA, PTEN, p-AKT, Ki-67).

Main Results:

• PIK3CA amplification occurred in 35.5% of EOC cases.
• PIK3CA mutations (3.9%), KRAS (1.9%), BRAF (1.9%), and p53 (32.5%) mutations were observed.
• PTEN protein loss was found in 22.9% of cases; p110 alpha overexpression correlated with AKT phosphorylation and Ki-67.

Conclusions:

• PIK3CA amplification and gene mutations are mutually exclusive, suggesting independent roles in pathogenesis.
• High prevalence of PI3K/AKT pathway alterations supports its significant role in EOC development.
• These findings highlight the importance of the PI3K/AKT pathway in Middle Eastern ovarian carcinoma.