Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Next Generation Sequencing for the Detection of Actionable Mutations in Solid and Liquid Tumors
11:15

Next Generation Sequencing for the Detection of Actionable Mutations in Solid and Liquid Tumors

Published on: September 20, 2016

[K-RAS gene mutations in patients with non-small cell lung cancer]

Yang Zhang1, Zhenkui Pan, Xing Zhang

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou 510060, China.

Zhongguo Fei AI Za Zhi = Chinese Journal of Lung Cancer
|August 5, 2010
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

K-RAS gene mutations are rare in Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients at Sun Yet-sen University, suggesting limited predictive value for EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in this population.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) prognosis is influenced by K-RAS gene mutations.
  • K-RAS mutations predict poor response to chemotherapy and EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence of K-RAS gene mutations in NSCLC patients.
  • To assess the potential of K-RAS as a biomarker for EGFR TKI sensitivity in this cohort.

Main Methods:

  • K-RAS gene mutations were analyzed in 52 fresh frozen NSCLC tumor tissues.
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification followed by gene sequencing was employed.

Main Results:

  • Somatic mutations in K-RAS codon 12 were detected in 3.8% of patients (2 out of 52).
  • No significant associations were found between K-RAS mutations and clinicopathological factors like gender, smoking, or disease stage.

Conclusions:

  • The frequency of K-RAS mutations in NSCLC at this center is low, aligning with Asian populations.
  • This low mutation rate may indicate limited utility of K-RAS as a predictive biomarker for EGFR TKIs in this specific patient group.

More Related Videos

Ultra-Fast Amplicon-Based Next-Generation Sequencing in Non-Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer07:59

Ultra-Fast Amplicon-Based Next-Generation Sequencing in Non-Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Published on: September 8, 2023

Detection of Targetable Alterations in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer using Next-generation Sequencing05:17

Detection of Targetable Alterations in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer using Next-generation Sequencing

Published on: October 10, 2025

Related Concept Videos

The Ras Gene02:38

The Ras Gene

The Ras-gene-encoded proteins are regulators of signaling pathways controlling cell proliferation, differentiation, or cell survival. The Ras-gene family in humans constitutes three primary members—the HRas, NRas, and KRas. These genes code for four functionally distinct yet closely related proteins—the HRas, NRas, KRas4A, and KRas4B. The involvement of mutant Ras genes in human cancer was first discovered in 1982 and is among the most common causes of human tumorigenesis.
Ras is a superfamily...
The Ras Gene02:38

The Ras Gene

The Ras-gene-encoded proteins are regulators of signaling pathways controlling cell proliferation, differentiation, or cell survival. The Ras-gene family in humans constitutes three primary members—the HRas, NRas, and KRas. These genes code for four functionally distinct yet closely related proteins—the HRas, NRas, KRas4A, and KRas4B. The involvement of mutant Ras genes in human cancer was first discovered in 1982 and is among the most common causes of human tumorigenesis.
Ras is a superfamily...
Small GTPases - Ras and Rho01:24

Small GTPases - Ras and Rho

Ras and Rho are small monomeric GTPases that act downstream of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) and regulate various cellular processes. These GTPases switch between active and inactive states by binding to guanine nucleotides.
Three regulatory proteins control their activity:
Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer01:03

Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer

Rous Sarcoma virus or RSV was discovered by F. Peyton Rous in the year 1911 as a filterable transmissible agent that could cause tumors in chickens. He won a Nobel Prize for this discovery in 1966. His experiments clearly demonstrated that some cancers could be caused by infectious agents and led to the discovery of many more cancer-causing viruses in animals as well as humans.
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand  RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer01:03

Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer

Rous Sarcoma virus or RSV was discovered by F. Peyton Rous in the year 1911 as a filterable transmissible agent that could cause tumors in chickens. He won a Nobel Prize for this discovery in 1966. His experiments clearly demonstrated that some cancers could be caused by infectious agents and led to the discovery of many more cancer-causing viruses in animals as well as humans.
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand  RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the daughter...