Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 21, 2026

13:45
A Novel Surgical Technique in a Sheep Model for Suburethral Graft Implantation
Published on: June 20, 2025
974
Gene mutation and surgical technique: Suggestion or more?
Yoshikuni Kawaguchi1, Heather A Lillemoe1, Jean-Nicolas Vauthey1
1Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Surgical Oncology
|July 29, 2019
Summary
Somatic mutations are increasingly important in predicting outcomes for patients with colorectal liver metastases (CLM). Understanding these mutations can guide treatment decisions and improve surgical results for CLM.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Surgical Oncology
- Genomics
Background:
- Chemotherapy and molecular targeted therapy have improved outcomes for resectable colorectal liver metastases (CLM).
- RAS mutation status was an early biomarker for predicting response to anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) agents.
- Recent research integrates broader somatic mutation data into analyses of surgical outcomes and prognosis for CLM.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the implications of somatic mutations in patients undergoing resection of CLM.
- To highlight the evolving role of genomic biomarkers in predicting treatment response and prognosis for CLM.
Main Methods:
- Evidence-based review of current literature.
- Analysis of studies incorporating somatic mutation data in CLM resection.
- Focus on the predictive value of mutations for therapeutic response and patient outcomes.
Main Results:
- Somatic mutation status provides crucial prognostic information beyond RAS.
- Genomic profiling is becoming integral to personalized treatment strategies for CLM.
- Understanding specific mutations can optimize patient selection for surgery and adjuvant therapies.
Conclusions:
- Somatic mutations are key determinants of prognosis in resectable CLM.
- Genomic data enhances the prediction of outcomes following surgical resection of CLM.
- This review underscores the importance of incorporating comprehensive somatic mutation analysis into the management of CLM.
Related Concept Videos
Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift
62.9K
In a population that is not at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the frequency of alleles changes over time. Therefore, any deviations from the five conditions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can alter the genetic variation of a given population. Conditions that change the genetic variability of a population include mutations, natural selection, non-random mating, gene flow, and genetic drift (small population size).
62.9K
Mutations
94.4K
Overview
94.4K
Mutations
43.8K
Mutations are changes in the sequence of DNA. These changes can occur spontaneously or they can be induced by exposure to environmental factors. Mutations can be characterized in a number of different ways: whether and how they alter the amino acid sequence of the protein, whether they occur over a small or large area of DNA, and whether they occur in somatic cells or germline cells.
Chromosomal Alterations Are Large-Scale Mutations
While point mutations are changes in a single nucleotide in...
Chromosomal Alterations Are Large-Scale Mutations
While point mutations are changes in a single nucleotide in...
43.8K
Viral Mutations
39.8K
A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material...
39.8K
Gene Therapy
27.4K
Gene therapy is a technique where a gene is inserted into a person’s cells to prevent or treat a serious disease. The added gene may be a healthy version of the gene that is mutated in the patient, or it could be a different gene that inactivates or compensates for the patient’s disease-causing gene. For example, in patients with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) due to a mutation in the gene for the enzyme adenosine deaminase, a functioning version of the gene can be...
27.4K
Mutations in Microorganisms
545
Mutations are heritable changes in an organism’s genome involving alterations in the base sequence of DNA or RNA. These changes can influence cellular processes and phenotypic traits, potentially transforming the unaltered wild type into a mutant form. Such changes, termed forward mutations, are pivotal in shaping the genetic diversity of organisms.RNA viruses exhibit the highest mutation rates due to the absence of robust proofreading mechanisms during genome replication. In contrast,...
545

