Background and Aim: The focus of the study was to investigate the frequencies of homozygous deletionsand mutations of p16 gene in gastric carcinomas in the Kashmiri population. Methods: A total of 84 gastriccarcinoma patients were screened by the single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) technique and laterby DNA sequencing to detect mutations of the p16 gene. Also PCR was applied further to further detect anyhomozygous deletions. Results: SSCP and DNA sequencing performed encompassing all the three exons of p16gene could not detect any mutations in any ofl 84 cases. Though we could observe mobility shifts in SSCP of twosamples, subsequent DNA sequencing did not show any mutation. Further PCR could not detect any homozygousdeletion in P16 in any case. Conclusion: Though Kashmir is a high incidence area of gastric carcinomas, p16genemutations /or deletions do not appear to be involved.
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