Activated Ki-ras oncogene in human prostatic adenocarcinoma.

The role of cellular oncogenes in the development of human prostate cancer has not been extensively studied. A search for activated oncogenes was undertaken by testing DNA isolated from prostatic adenocarcinoma tissues for transforming activity in a 3T3 transfection assay. A transforming sequence homologous to Ki-ras was detected in one of the samples. DNA from the other cancers was negative in the transformation assay, suggesting that the activation of oncogenes, at least those detectable by the 3T3 transfection assay, is not a frequent event in prostate cancer. Amplification of genomic oncogene sequences in prostatic tissues was also examined, but amplification of Ki-ras, Ha-ras, c-myc, N-myc, c-sis, or c-fos was not detectable in any of the samples.