Ki-ras mutations and prognosis in colorectal cancer

A total of 191 colorectal adenocarcinomas, obtained from consecutive patients with a median follow-up of 6 years, were studied in order to evaluate the possible association of Ki-ras mutations with tumour stage, tumour differentiation and survival time. Resected full-cross tumour samples were screened for Ki-ras mutations in codons 12 and 13 using temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TTGE). Ki-ras mutations were detected in 62 (32%) of the samples. The most frequent mutation, observed in 21 samples, was from GGT to GAT changing glycine to aspartic acid in codon 12. The study did not show any association between Ki-ras mutations and Dukes' stage or tumour differentiation. Patients with Ki-ras mutations had a marginally shorter survival time (median 50 months) compared with patients without (median 59 months), but the difference was not statistically significant. The results indicate that Ki-ras gene mutations have no relevant prognostic importance in this cohort of colorectal cancer patients.