title: K-ras gene mutations in non-small cell lung cancer in Japanese.
abstract: To evaluate the association of mutations in the K-ras gene with the incidence of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in Japanese patients, 410 patients treated surgically were studied. DNA was extracted from frozen specimens, and polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific oligonucleotide probe (PCR-SSOP) hybridization assay was used to examine K-ras mutations in codons 12, 13 and 61. K-ras mutations were found in 33 patients (8.0%), and all were smokers or ex-smokers. There were no significant differences in clinical or pathological stage between wild-type cases and mutant cases. The most frequently identified mutation was a G-->T transversion (25/33, 75.8%) that resulted in the substitution of a glycine for a cysteine or a valine. Previous studies have shown that the majority of K-ras mutations among smokers are G-->T transversion. In our study, K-ras mutations were found only in smokers, and there was a high frequency of G-->T transversions. A clear correlation exists between smoking and K-ras gene mutations.
authors: Second Department of Surgery, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, 7-45-1 Nanakuma, Johnan-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka 814-0180, Japan. n-nao@pop17.odn.ne.jp
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Noda
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Matsuzoe
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Konno
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Kawahara
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Yamashita
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Shirakusa
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D003062:Codon / Q000235:genetics*; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D011905:Genes, ras / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017354:Point Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D003062:Codon; D017931:DNA Primers; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm