Discordance Between K-<i>ras</i> Mutations in Bone Marrow Micrometastases and the Primary Tumor in Colorectal Cancer

Abstract

Our results demonstrate that, at least for K-ras mutations, disseminated epithelial cells are not always clonal with the primary tumor and they question the malignant genotype of bone marrow micrometastases. They also indicate that different tumoral clones may be circulating simultaneously or sequentially in the same patient. Analysis of the type of mutations suggests that cell dissemination might be an early event in colorectal carcinogenesis.