New study reveals the importance of genetic testing for colon cancer patients

Patients who are being treated for metastatic colon cancer should have testing to screen for gene mutations, according to a recent study.  Biotechnology company Amgen, Inc. released a statement this month detailing their study into the treatment of metastatic colon cancer with Vectibex, a drug they manufacture. In the study, researchers treated patients who had been screened for KRAS genetic mutations and found that patients without the mutation lived longer without disease progression by using a combination of Vectibex, and chemotherapy.  Patients with the KRAS mutation were negatively affected by the drug.

The KRAS gene mutation is present in 35- 40% of patients diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer.  KRAS, which is short for V-Ki-ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma, is a protein which is encoded by the KRAS gene.  The KRAS gene is a powerful oncogene which, when mutated, turns normal cells into cancer cells.

“Our study underscores the importance of KRAS status in identifying the appropriate patient population to be treated with Vectibix, consistent with worldwide labeling,” said Roger M. Perlmutter, M.D., Ph.D., executive vice president of Research and Development at Amgen in a press release. “We believe Vectibix should not be used in patients with tumors containing activating KRAS mutations” According to a Reuters report, The Food and Drug Administration decided in July 2009 that Vectibex could could include in their labels information about the KRAS biomarker.