Studies on the relationship between the point mutation of ras oncogenes and the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer

Aim: To study the relationship between the point mutation of ras oncogenes and the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer.

Methods: The point mutations at codon 12 and 61 of c-Ha-ras, at codon 12 and 13 of K-ras, and at codon 12 of N-ras were studied with PCR-RFLP in 88 formalin fixed and paraffin embedded specimens of gastric cancer.

Results: It was found that the overall rate of point mutation of ras oncogenes was 18.2% and the positivity of the point mutation of ras oncogenes was related to the cancerous invasion of the serosa, the status of lymph node metastasis, the stage of cancer and the survival time after surgery.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that the determination of point mutations of ras oncogenes can be used to determine the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer.