title: Identification of ras oncogene mutations in the stool of patients with curable colorectal tumors.
abstract: Colorectal (CR) tumors are usually curable if detected before metastasis. Because genetic alterations are associated with the development of these tumors, mutant genes may be found in the stool of individuals with CR neoplasms. The stools of nine patients whose tumors contained mutations of K-ras were analyzed. In eight of the nine cases, the ras mutations were detectable in DNA purified from the stool. These patients included those with benign and malignant neoplasms from proximal and distal colonic epithelium. Thus, colorectal tumors can be detected by a noninvasive method based on the molecular pathogenesis of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sidransky
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tokino
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Kinzler
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Frost
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vogelstein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides