Detection of K-ras Oncogene Mutations in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid for Lung Cancer Diagnosis (original) (raw)

The study investigates the detection of K-ras oncogene mutations in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid as a clinical tool for lung cancer diagnosis. A highly sensitive assay based on enriched polymerase chain reaction was developed and applied to 87 specimens from patients suspected of having lung cancer. Results showed that K-ras mutations were detected in the lavage fluid of patients, including those with otherwise nondiagnostic bronchoscopies, indicating that this method could significantly enhance the diagnostic accuracy for lung cancer by serving as an adjunct to cytology.