title: Kras in metastatic colorectal cancer.
abstract: Kras, a small intracellular GTPase, is a central intermediary of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and other tyrosine kinase receptor pathways. Increased EGFR and Kras signalling is involved in colorectal carcinogenesis and tumour progression. Mutations of Kras result in the loss of its GTPase activity and thus in a constitutive activation of Kras signalling. Kras mutations are found in 30-60% of colorectal cancers. The concordance between Kras mutations in the primary tumour and related metastatic sites is high. Since mutation of Kras confers resistance to anti-EGFR-antibody therapy, it is critical to assess Kras mutational status in colorectal cancer patients. Anti-EGFR-antibody therapy improves survival in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer and wild-type Kras.
authors.affiliation: Albert-Ludwigs University, University Medical Center Freiburg, Dept. of Hematology and Oncology, Hugstetterstraße 55, 79106 Freiburg, DE. andreas.wicki@uniklinik-freiburg.de
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wicki
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Herrmann
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Christofori
mesh_terms: D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras); D018631:ras Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C117307:KRAS protein, human; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras); D018631:ras Proteins