The Study
The frequency of Ras mutations in cancer
This study counted how many people with cancer have a specific gene mistake called Ras mutation, by looking at lots of existing medical records. It tells us how common the mistake is, but it doesn't prove the mistake causes the cancer — just that they often happen together.
Analysis score
Maximum 100 for a systematic review with meta-analysis.
Where the score came from
Scientists looked at lots of cancer patient data from big databases to find out how often a faulty gene called Ras shows up in tumors.
Where does this study sit?
Systematic Reviews & Meta-analyses
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control
Max 58Cross-Sectional
Max 44Case Reports & Series
Max 30Expert Opinion
Max 533 / 100
Quality score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — this means millions of people each year have cancers driven by Ras mutations, making it one of the most common cancer-causing genetic changes and a major target for new drugs.
- 2About 1 in 5 cancer patients (19%) have a Ras mutation — that’s 3.4 million people a year worldwide.
- 3KRAS is the most common faulty version, found in 3 out of 4 of those cases.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Cancer research
Year
2020
Authors
I. Prior, Fiona E. Hood, J. Hartley
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.