Patient survival in uveal melanoma is not affected by oncogenic mutations in GNAQ and GNA11

Background:Mutations in GNAQ and GNA11, encoding the oncogenic G-protein alpha subunit q and 11, respectively, occur frequently in the majority of uveal melanomas. Methods:Exons 4 and 5 from GNAQ and GNA11 were amplified and sequenced from 92 ciliary body and choroidal melanomas. The mutation status was correlated with disease-free survival (DFS) and other parameters. Results:None of the tumours harboured a GNAQ exon 4 mutation. A GNAQ mutation in exon 5 codon 209 was found in 46 out of 92 (50.0%) of the tumours. Only 1 out of 92 (1.1%) melanomas showed a mutation in GNA11 exon 4 codon 183, whereas 39 out of 92 (42.4%) harboured a mutation in exon 5 of GNA11 codon 209. Six tumours did not show any mutations in exons 4 and 5 of these genes. Univariate analyses showed no correlation between DFS and the mutation status. Conclusion:GNAQ and GNA11 mutations are, in equal matter, not associated with patient outcome.British Journal of Cancer advance online publication 18 June 2013; doi:10.1038/bjc.2013.299 www.bjcancer.com.

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