Animal products and K-ras codon 12 and 13 mutations in colon carcinomas

K-ras gene mutations (codons 12 and 13) were determined by PCR-based mutant allele-specific amplification (MASA) in tumour tissue of 185 colon cancer patients: 36% harboured mutations, of which 82% were located in codon 12, H igh intakes of animal protein, calcium and poultry were differently associa ted with codon 12 and 13 mutations: odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence int ervals (95% CI) for codon 12 versus codon 13 were 9.0 (2.0-42), 4.1 (1.4-12 ) and 15 (1.4-160), respectively. In case-control comparisons, high intakes of animal protein and calcium were positively associated with colon tumour s harbouring codon 12 mutations [for animal protein per 17 g, OR (95% CI) = 1.5 (1.0-2.1); for calcium per 459 mg, 1.2 (0.9-1.6)], while inverse assoc iations were observed for tumours with K-ras mutations in codon 13 [for ani mal protein 0.4 (0.2-1.0); for calcium 0.6 (0.3-1.2)]. Transition and trans version mutations were not differently associated with these dietary factor s. These data suggest a different dietary aetiology of colon tumours harbou ring g-ras codon 12 and 13 mutations.