Mutations of ras genes in human tumors (review)

H Kiaris1, D Spandidos

  • 1NATL HELLEN RES FND, INST BIOL RES & BIOTECHNOL, GR-11635 ATHENS, GREECE. UNIV CRETE, SCH MED, IRAKLION, GREECE.

Insights

Mutant ras alleles, common in human tumors, arise from mutations in H-, K-, and N-ras genes. This review summarizes their detection and association with clinical parameters in various cancers.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Ras family genes (Harvey-, Kirsten-, and Neuroblastoma-ras) are crucial in cell signaling.
  • Mutations in specific codons (12, 13, 61) activate these proto-oncogenes into oncogenes.
  • Ras mutations are frequently observed in various human malignancies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and consolidate findings on mutant ras allele detection across diverse human tumors.
  • To explore potential correlations between the presence of mutant ras alleles and specific clinical parameters.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic literature review of studies detecting ras mutations in human tumors.
  • Analysis of reported clinical data associated with identified ras mutations.

Main Results:

  • Ras mutations are prevalent in a wide spectrum of human cancers.
  • Data synthesis aimed to identify patterns linking specific ras mutations to clinical outcomes (detailed results pending full review).

Conclusions:

  • Mutant ras alleles are significant oncogenic drivers in human cancers.
  • Further investigation is warranted to elucidate the clinical implications of ras mutations for targeted therapies.

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