The Prevalence of the KRAS Mutation in Lung Cancer Based on the Smoking Status

Abstract

In today's world, lung cancer is considered one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths, and the KRAS mutation is one of the most prevalent mutations in lung cancer. The KRAS gene belongs to a class of genes known as oncogenes. When mutated, oncogenes can cause uncontrollable growths which make the normal cells cancerous. Many studies have investigated the prevalence of KRAS mutation in smokers. The goal of this study is to review the prevalence of KRAS mutation in smokers vs. non-smokers, their impact on survival rates, and different gene expression levels. We conducted a literature review on the most recent studies examining the prevalence of the KRAS mutation in relation to smoking status. Overall, the results show that the majority of KRAS mutations were found mainly in heavy smokers, and for nonsmokers, women had the mutation more frequently than males. Additionally, patients who were diagnosed with the KRAS mutation had lower survival rates than patients without it. In conclusion, the findings highlight the KRAS mutation's prevalence in lung cancer patients in correlation with smoking status, aiding in identifying high-risk individuals and informing targeted screening and prevention strategies.