Lack of mutation at codon 531 of SRC in advanced colorectal cancers from Italian patients

A truncating mutation (C to T transition) at codon 531 of the human protoon cogene c-src, possibly accounting for the activation of c-src tyrosine kina se, has been recently identified in a subset of advanced colorectal cancer from North-American patients. However, two subsequent studies have failed t o confirm the occurrence of SRC 531 mutation in colorectal cancers from Nor th-European and Asiatic patients, raising the hypothesis that the genetic a ctivation of src in colon cancer might be restricted to patients belonging to specific ethnic groups. We investigated a large series of colorectal can cers from Italian patients (155 cases) with a high prevalence of liver meta stasis (43%). Using a PCR-RFLP assay, the occurrence of a SRC 531 mutation was ruled out in all the investigated specimens of primary tumours and/or m etastases. Our results demonstrate that SRC Gln531AMB plays no role in the development or in the progression of colorectal cancer among Italian patien ts. (C) 2001 Cancer Research Campaign.