K-Ras

It is already known that in some bowel cancers the K-Ras gene is faulty, leaving the switch permanently 'on'. patients who have a normally functioning K-Ras 'switch' might in some circumstances** benefit from new cancer drugs called cetuximab and panitumumab.

THE MEDICAL NEWS Editors 2010

Each year more than 37,500 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer in the UK and scientists already knew that faults occur in three regions of the K-Ras gene in approximately 25 per cent of bowel cancer patients - around 9,375 people.

THE MEDICAL NEWS Editors 2010

But patients with faulty K-Ras will not benefit from these drugs and may even be harmed by them, making it especially important to be able to accurately test the K-Ras gene for faults.

THE MEDICAL NEWS Editors 2010

Each year more than 37,500 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer in the UK and scientists already knew that faults occur in three regions of the K-Ras gene in approximately 25 per cent of bowel cancer patients - around 9,375 people.

THE MEDICAL NEWS Editors 2010

The team at the University of Dundee carried out a genetic analysis on 106 bowel cancer tumour samples to search for the frequency of known faults in a key gene called K-Ras.

THE MEDICAL NEWS Editors 2010

Each year more than 37,500 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer in the UK and scientists already knew that faults occur in three regions of the K-Ras gene in approximately 25 per cent of bowel cancer patients - around 9,375 people.

THE MEDICAL NEWS Editors 2010

It is already known that in some bowel cancers the K-Ras gene is faulty, leaving the switch permanently 'on'. patients who have a normally functioning K-Ras 'switch' might in some circumstances** benefit from new cancer drugs called cetuximab and panitumumab.

THE MEDICAL NEWS Editors 2010

This randomized 174 patient study evaluates NKTR-102 against irinotecan in second-line colorectal cancer patients whose tumors have the K-Ras gene mutation.

SeekingAlpha.com: Home Page 2010

The study suggests that as many as 33 per cent of bowel cancer patients have a K-Ras fault - around 12,375 people in total - an additional 3,000 patients than previously assumed.

THE MEDICAL NEWS Editors 2010

"The next stage is to develop effective tests to screen for these mutation 'hotspots' to help doctors to plan the most effective treatment strategies for bowel cancer patients - and this will encourage scientists to also focus their efforts on finding new treatments for patients with faulty K-Ras genes to give them more options."

THE MEDICAL NEWS Editors 2010