New Techniques in K-ras Mutation Screening reveal new findings

Aims: With the development of individualized therapies for colon-rectal-cancers (CRC) genotyping of tumor tissue becomes more important in pathology. New drugs consisting of monoclonal antibodies and tyrosine kinase inhibitors are selectively inhibiting the EGF-receptor, thus preventing the signal transduction for cell proliferation into the nucleus. Mutations in the intracellular signal transduction pathway can lead to permanent activity of the proliferation-activating pathway thereby circumventing the effect of the drugs. In CRC most of these mutations occur in codons 12 and 13 of the K-ras gene. Its mutation…