GNAS mutations identify a set of right-sided, RAS mutant, villous colon cancers.
The purpose of this study is to determine the genetic frequency of GNAS activating mutations in colorectal cancer and the corresponding pathology of GNAS mutant tumors. Oncogenic mutations in GNAS have been described in a number of neoplasms including those of the pituitary, kidney, pancreas, and, more recently, in colon cancer. To ascertain the frequency in colon cancer we employed a sensitive pyrosequencing platform for mutation detection of the R201C and R201H GNAS hotspots in tumor samples representing all clinical stages. We additionally assayed for KRAS and BRAF mutations as previous reports have shown that these often co-occur with activating GNAS mutations. Of the 428 colon tumors assayed, mutations in GNAS were present in 10 of the samples (2.3%), indicating this is a significant, albeit infrequent, mutation in colorectal tumors. Nine GNAS mutant tumors (90%) harbored concomitant activating mutations in either the KRAS or BRAF oncogene, which was significantly greater than the mutation frequency of these genes in the tumor population (56%, p<0.0305). All ten of the GNAS mutant tumors arose in the right (proximal) colon (p<0.007), and 7 of 8 reviewed cases exhibited a marked villous morphology. Taken together, these data indicate that GNAS mutant colon tumors commonly have synchronous mutations in KRAS or BRAF, are right-sided in location, and are associated with a villous morphology.
Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University and Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America.
Ryan E
RE
Fecteau
Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University and Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America.
James
J
Lutterbaugh
Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University and Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America ; Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University and Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America ; Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University and Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America.
Sanford D
SD
Markowitz
Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University and Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America ; Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University and Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America.
Joseph
J
Willis
Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University and Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America ; Division of General Medical Sciences-Oncology, Case Western Reserve University and Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America.
Kishore
K
Guda
D002864:Chromogranins; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D019205:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gs / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / Q000235:genetics; D018631:ras Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
D002864:Chromogranins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf; C406732:GNAS protein, human; D019205:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gs; D018631:ras Proteins