A relationship between K-ras gene mutations and some clinical and histologic variables in patients with primary colorectal carcinoma

Mutations in the Kirsten ras 2 (K-ras) gene were described as early events in the process of colorectal carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to f ind a possible relationship between the presence of K-ras mutation in sampl es of primary colorectal carcinomas and the clinico-pathological data of th e investigated patients. Mutation in codon 12 of the K-ras gene was determi ned in 18 of 53 colorectal carcinomas (34 %) in our group of patients. The presence of K-ras gene mutations was not related to gender, age of subject at diagnosis, staging or cancer location (p > 0.05). Sixteen of the 42 (38 %) moderately differentiated carcinomas, and two of the eight (25 %) well d ifferentiated carcinomas contained K-ras mutation in codon 12, but none of the three poorly differentiated carcinomas contained the mutation. Moderate ly differentiated tumours contained an aspartate code GAT (in eight cases), a valine code GTT (in six cases), an alanine code GCT (in one case) and a serine code AGT (in one case) in codon 12. Well differentiated tumours cont ained only the valine code GTT (two cases). Our results show that the frequency of mutations in the K-ras gene in carci nomas in Central Europe is not different from the frequencies found in othe r parts of the world. The homogeneous incidence of K-ras mutation does not seem to be related to ethnic factors, dietary habits, or the composition of the diet.