The association of clinicopathological features and survival in colorectal cancer patients with kras mutation status.

Background: KRAS mutations have a significant role in the consecutive activation of RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK pathway in colorectal cancer. Approximately 30-35% of sporadic colorectal cancers have KRAS mutation. While the predictive role of KRAS is commonly accepted at the present time, its prognostic role and association with different clinical and histopathological properties are currently unclear and inconsistent. The intent of this study, has been to evaluate the associations between KRAS gene mutations and clinicopathological features and survival times in Turkish colorectal cancer patients. Materials and Methods: In this study, the file records of 115 metastatic colorectal cancer patients who applied to the Department of Medical Oncology between 2000 and 2011 were monitored; data on clinicopathological features and survival times were collected. DNA-sequencing method with PCR amplification from archival paraffin blocks were used for KRAS mutation status analysis. The associations between KRAS mutation status and clinicopathological features and survival times were compared statistically. Results: While a significant association hadbeen determined between KRAS mutation status and tumor localization, there was no determined significant association with other clinicopathological properties. Similarly, there was no association between KRAS mutation status and survival parameters. Conclusions: As a result, the effect of KRAS mutation status on clinicopathological features, survival time and prognosis is unclear.