Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine

Original Article

Genetic and Epigenetic Alterations of the Wnt/beta-catenin Signaling Pathway in Cancer of the Ampulla of Vater.: Gwang Il Kim, Jeong Boon Kim, Sang Bum Park, Young Sik Kim, Han Kyeom Kim, Bom Woo Yeom, Yang Seok Chae; Korean J Pathol. 2007;41(4):224-231.

Abstract PDF: BACKGROUND
Carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater is rare and its pathogenesis is unclear. The role of epigenetic changes in the APC or CDH1, in the Wnt pathway, has not been reported in ampullary carcinomas.
METHODS
We performed immunohistochemistry on 73 sporadic ampullary carcinomas to identify Wnt-related molecules (APC, beta-catenin, E-cadherin, c-erbB2, cyclin D1) and examined mutations in the CTNNB1, loss of heterozygosity of 5q21, and the methylation status of the CpG island of APC and CDH1.
RESULTS
Thirteen tumors (17.8%) showed abnormal nuclear localization of beta-catenin; this was more prominent in the intestinal type than in the pancreaticobiliary type (p=0.01). The loss of APC correlated with the loss of beta-catenin or c-erb B2 (p<0.01). The prognosis was worse in the group with APC loss than when APC was maintained (p<0.05). There was no mutation identified in CTNNB1. Six (24%) out of 25 informative cases had 5q21 allelic loss. CpG island methylation in APC and CDH1 was detected in 33 (45.2%) and 29 (31.5%) cases, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
The absence of mutations in CTNNB1 and the epigenetic alteration of APC and CDH1, might be characteristic changes in the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway during the carcinogenesis of ampullary carcinomas.

Case Reports

Adenosquamous Carcinoma of the Ampulla of Vater: A Report of Two Cases.: Da keun Lee, Cheol Keun Park, Geung hwan Ahn, Sung Ju Kim, Jin Seok Heo, Kyu Taek Lee, Sang hui Park, Kee Taek Jang; Korean J Pathol. 2006;40(2):160-164.

Abstract PDF: Primary adenosquamous carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater is extremely rare. We report two cases of adenosquamous carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater in a 48-year-old female and an 80-year-old female patient. The gross appearance was a polypoid mass in both cases. Histologically, the majority of the two tumors was composed of squamous cell carcinoma with some intermingled glandular adenocarcinoma components in both cases. Squamous cell carcinomas showed an abrupt transition from the normal glandular epithelium or glandular adenocarcinoma. Although the two cases revealed duodenal wall invasion and lymph node metastasis was found in case 2, both patients are still alive at 19 and 46 months after surgery, respectively.

Adenomyoma of Ampulla of Vater or the Common Bile Duct: A Report of Three Cases.: Kee Taek Jang, Jin Seok Heo, Seoung Ho Choi, Dong Il Choi, Jae Hoon Lim, Young Lyun Oh, Geung Hwan Ahn; Korean J Pathol. 2005;39(1):59-62.

Abstract PDF: Adenomyoma is a rare non-neoplastic lesion of the biliary tract. Here we report on three cases of adenomyoma; one located in the ampulla of Vater and two located in the common bile duct. Although preoperative endoscopic and radiological evaluations could not determine whether lesions were benign or malignant, intra-operative frozen section histologic examinations aided the differential diagnosis. Microscopic features of a lobular gland architecture with basally located nuclei and the absence of desmoplastic stromal reaction were found to be characteristic in frozen and paraffin sections.

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