ABSTRACT
Objective To examine deletion and mutation of p16 gene in primary pancreatic carcinoma to evaluate the relationsip between p16 gene alteration and carcinogenesis of pancreatic carcinoma as well as its progression. Methods Deletion and mutation of p16 gene in 28 primary pancreatic carcinomas and 28 normal tissues adjacent to tumors were detected by PCR-based deletion analysis technique and PCR-SSCP respectively, and the relationship between the results of detection and the clinical parameters was analysed. Results In 28 pancreatic carcinomas, homozygous deletion and mutation of p16 gene were found in 4 and 5 cases respectively. The frequency of p16 gene alteration was 32 1%. p16 gene alteration closely correlated with lymph node metastasis (P