KI-RAS MUTATIONS AND PROGNOSIS IN COLORECTAL-CANCER

A total of 191 colorectal adenocarcinomas, obtained from consecutive p atients with a median followup of 6 years, were studied in order to ev aluate the possible association of Ki-ras mutations with tumour stage, tumour differentiation and survival time. Resected full-cross tumour samples were screened for Ki-ras mutations in codons 12 and 13 using t emporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TTGE). Ki-ras mutati ons were detected in 62 (32%) of the samples. The most frequent mutati on, observed in 21 samples, was from GGT to GAT changing glycine to as partic acid in codon 12. The study did not show any association betwee n Ki-ras mutations and Dukes' stage or tumour differentiation. Patient s with Ki-ras mutations had a marginally shorter survival time (median 50 months) compared with patients without (median 59 months), but the difference was not statistically significant. The results indicate th at Ki-ras gene mutations have no relevant prognostic importance in thi s cohort of colorectal cancer patients. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.