title: Detection of k-ras point mutations in codons 12 and 13 in non-small cell lung cancers.
abstract: Point mutations of the K-ras gene have been reported in a wide variety of human tumors. By using polymerase chain reaction followed by direct DNA sequencing, we screened for point mutations at codons 12 and 13 of the K-ras gene in specimens obtained from fresh frozen tumors in 38 patients with non-small cell lung cancers. Point mutations were detected in two of 38 (5.3%) resected non-small cell lung cancers. Both of them were G to T transversions. One patient was found to have a K-ras codon 13 point mutation (GGC to TGC, gly to cys), while the other had a codon 12 point mutation (GGT to GTT, gly to val). Based on the limited numbers in this study, we found that the frequency of K-ras point mutations in codons 12 and 13 among Asian patients with lung adenocarcinomas was lower than that detected among Caucasian patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Research, Taichung veterans General Hospital, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: N Y
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Kwan
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Hsia
authors.forename: W T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000235:genetics*; D003062:Codon; D005260:Female; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017354:Point Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D003062:Codon