title: New and potential clinical applications of KRAS as a cancer biomarker.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  KRAS mutation is the most common oncogenic alteration in various human cancers. Recently, KRAS has emerged as an important predictive biomarker in common malignancies such as metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This work aims to discuss the clinical impact of the KRAS mutation status on state-of-the-art treatment approaches, including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted therapies.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review considers the potential of KRAS to serve as a diagnostic, prognostic or predictive biomarker in various cancers, including those of the lung, colon/rectum, pancreas, ovary and endometrium.
  
  
  RESULTS
  KRAS mutations in mCRC and NSCLC primary tumors predict resistance to EGFR-targeted therapy. In pancreatic cancer, KRAS may prove useful as a diagnostic biomarker to screen for early neoplasia. Furthermore, quantitative KRAS mutation analysis could have the potential to distinguish pancreatic cancer from other conditions such as chronic pancreatitis. With respect to ovarian and endometrial cancer, further studies should focus on determining reliable biomarkers for predicting response to EGFR-targeted therapy. Besides EGFR inhibition, KRAS may also serve as a diagnostic and predictive biomarker for evolving therapies directed against mutant RAS proteins.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  KRAS has been recognized as an outstanding predictive biomarker to select mCRC and NSCLC patients for EGFR-targeted therapies; however, multi-determinant approaches including other molecular markers should facilitate the identification of patients likely to respond to such therapies.
authors.affiliation: ViennaLab Diagnostics GmbH, Gaudenzdorfer Gürtel 43-45, 1120 Vienna, Austria +43 1 812015642 ; +43 1 812015619 ; kriegshauser@viennalab.co.at.
authors.forename: Gernot
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kriegshäuser
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Auner
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zeillinger