Differences in mucus and K-ras mutation in relation to phenotypes of tumors of the papilla of Vater

Abstract

Tumors of the papilla of Vater can be classified histologically as either intestinal type or pancreaticobiliary type, and they have different features according to tumor location, association with adenoma, and MUC2 expression. Furthermore, K-ras mutation is supposed to be associated with tumors arising in the area from the ampulloduodenum to the ampullopancreatic duct, with metaplastic mucus occurring in both intestinal and pancreaticobiliary types.