Revista de Gastroenterología de México (English Edition) (Jul 2014)

Clinical relevance of the K-ras oncogene in colorectal cancer: Experience in a Mexican population

  • F. Cabrera-Mendoza,
  • S. Gainza-Lagunes,
  • I. Castañeda-Andrade,
  • A. Castro-Zárate

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rgmxen.2014.10.005
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 79, no. 3
pp. 166 – 170

Abstract

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Background: Colorectal cancer is frequent in the developed countries, with a cancer-specific mortality rate of 33%. Different biomarkers are associated with overall survival and the prediction of monoclonal treatment effectiveness. The presence of mutations in the K-ras oncogene alters the response to target therapy with cetuximab and could be an independent prognostic factor. Aims: To analyze the difference in survival between patients with mutated K-ras and those with K-ras wild-type status. Methods: Thirty-one clinical records were retrospectively analyzed of patients presenting with colorectal cancer that underwent K-ras sequencing through real-time polymerase chain reaction within the time frame of 2009 to 2012 at the Hospital de Alta Especialidad de Veracruz of the Instituto para la Salud y Seguridad Social de los Trabajadores del Estado (HAEV-ISSSTE). Survival analysis for patients with and without K-ras mutation was performed using the Kaplan Meier method. Contrast of covariates was performed using logarithmic transformations. Results: No statistically significant difference was found in relation to survival in the patients with mutated K-ras vs. those with K-ras wild-type (P = .416), nor were significant differences found when analyzing the covariants and survival in the patients with mutated K-ras: ECOG scale (P = .221); age (less than, equal to or greater than 65 years, P = .441); clinical stage according to the AJCC (P = .057), and primary lesion site (P = .614). Conclusions: No relation was found between the K-ras oncogene mutation and reduced survival, in contrast to what has been established in the international medical literature. Further studies that include both a larger number of patients and those receiving monoclonal treatment, need to be conducted. There were only 5 patients in the present study that received cetuximab, resulting in a misleading analysis.

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