Significance of the k-ras gene codon 12 point mutation in stomach cancer in southern India.

ABSTRACT

The frequency and clinicopathologic significance of the K-ras gene point mutation in stomach cancer remain to be defined. We investigated the frequency of K-ras codon 12 point mutations in stomach cancer using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method in 94 samples and 100 age and sex matched controls. The overall frequency of K-ras codon 12 point mutations in stomach cancer was 3.19% (3/94). DNA sequencing of three cases with K-ras codon 12 point mutations identified a single-base substitution of GGT to GTT (glycine to valine) .Two of them were in heterozygous condition and one was in homozygous condition. Conclusions: K-ras codon 12 point mutations are uncommon in stomach cancer (3.19%) in Southern India.