| EGFR |
EGFR is a receptor tyrosine kinase which is expressed in all colon carcinomas, although the expression level is heterogeneous. |
| EGFR Mutational Analysis by PCR |
Patients with highly responsive NSCLC tumors are found to contain somatic mutations within the EGFR tyrosine kinase domain. The presence of a somatic EGFR mutation is significantly associated with response to gefitinib and erlotinib, and is strongly predictive of prolonged survival in NSCLC patients. |
| KRAS |
KRAS mutations are present in greater than 45% of colorectal adenomas and carcinomas, and the vast majority occur at codon 12 and 13 of the oncogene. |
| BRAF |
This protein plays a role in regulating the MAP kinase/ERKs signaling pathways, which affects cell division, differentiation, and secretion. |
| PI3K |
Activation of PI3K pathway can result in an increase in cell proliferation and survival. PI3K activity is believed to be oncogenic in many cancer types. Targeting the PI3K/Akt pathway may enhance the effects of chemotherapeutic agents and provides novel adjuvant treatment for selected colon cancers. |
| PTEN |
PTEN is the natural inhibitor of PI3K. PTEN loss can be seen in about 30% of all patients with colorectal cancer. |