K-ras role in lung cancer therapy

The ras gene family provides a global effect on gene expression by encoding small GTP-binding proteins which act as molecular switches connecting extracellular signals with nuclear transcription factors. Mutations on the K-ras gene have been found in 20-30% of non-small-cell lung cancers are believed to play a key role in this malignancy. The ras-signaling pathway has attracted considerable attention as a target for anticancer therapy because of its important role in carcinogenesis. This review summarizes the structure and function of K-ras, with attention to the facets of K-ras biology that relate to tumorigenesis and focuses on those that have been targeted for lung cancer therapy.