| Summary: | Objective: Colon adenocarcinoma, one of the
most frequent malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal system, is a major cause
of morbidity and mortality. As KRAS mutations are encountered in 30-40% of
colorectal carcinomas, a mutation screening is required before therapy
commences. In this study, we aim to determine KRAS codon 12, 13 and 61
mutations in moderately differentiated colon adenocarcinomas and assess whether
these mutations are associated with lymph node metastases.
Materials and methods: A total of 120 moderately differentiated colorectal carcinomas, 60 with
lymph node metastases and 60 without, were included. Samples underwent PCR with
appropriate primers and Sanger sequencing was carried out to determine their
KRAS mutation status.
Results: Out of the 120 cases included in our study,
40 carried codon 12, 5 carried codon 13 mutations. In total, 37.5% of cases had
a KRAS mutation (45/120). No mutation was detected in codon 61.
Conclusion: Our
study has not shown a significant association between the presence of KRAS
mutations and lymph node metastasis. This study was conducted in a limited
number of patients and in a pre-defined, small area; but can be used as a
preliminary step for multicenter and larger studies.
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