KRAS Somatic Mutation Analysis, Tumor

Use

This test is useful for detecting molecular markers associated with response or resistance to specific cancer therapies. Monoclonal antibodies against epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), such as cetuximab and panitumumab, represent an area of targeted therapy for patients with colorectal and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, studies have shown that not all individuals with colorectal cancer or NSCLC respond to EGFR targeted molecules. As altered KRAS constitutively activates the RAS/MAPK pathway downstream of EGFR, agents such as cetuximab and panitumumab, which prevent ligand-binding to EGFR, do not appear to have any meaningful inhibitor activity on cell proliferation in the presence of altered KRAS. Current data suggest that the efficacy of EGFR-targeted therapies in colon cancer and NSCLC is confined to patients with tumors lacking KRAS mutations.