title: Detection of K-ras gene mutations in non-neoplastic lung tissue and lung cancers.
abstract: Oncogene and tumor suppressor gene mutations are candidate biomarkers for cancer risk assessment and lesion detection. The K-ras oncogene has previously been associated with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), particularly adenocarcinomas in which reported rates of mutation have approached 30-40%. We have analyzed non-malignant lung tissue from patients with lung cancer and primary lung cancers for K-ras gene mutations. Mutations were detected in 32% cancers and 29% non-malignant lung tissue from patients with cancer. The majority of tumors testing positive were adenocarcinoma of the lung. Normal DNA controls, including peripheral blood lymphocytes and normal lung from non-smokers, were negative. The ability to detect genetic alterations in non-malignant lung tissues is consistent with the concept that genetic alterations are involved in field cancerization of the aerodigestive tract.
authors.affiliation: Arizona Cancer Center, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson 85724 USA.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wymer
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Clements
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002460:Cell Line; D005260:Female; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017354:Point Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012907:Smoking; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured