KRAS

Medical abbreviation · Hematology and Oncology

KRAS
Stands forKirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog
CategoriesMedical

KRAS stands for Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog, a hematology and oncology abbreviation.

One of the most frequently mutated cancer genes, found in about 90 percent of pancreatic cancers, roughly 40 percent of colorectal cancers and about a quarter of lung adenocarcinomas. KRAS mutations keep growth signaling switched on.

Example: KRAS G12C mutation in second-line NSCLC; sotorasib started.

Usage notes

For decades KRAS was considered "undruggable" until sotorasib (2021) and adagrasib (2022) were approved for the G12C variant. In colorectal cancer, KRAS or NRAS mutations predict that anti-EGFR antibodies such as cetuximab will not work, so RAS testing is required before using them. The name comes from the Kirsten murine sarcoma virus, in which the gene was first identified.

More hematology and oncology abbreviations

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  • irAE – Immune-related adverse event
  • ITP – Immune thrombocytopenia
  • JAK2 – Janus kinase 2
  • KPS – Karnofsky Performance Status
  • LA – Lupus anticoagulant
  • MAHA – Microangiopathic hemolytic anemia
  • MCL – Mantle cell lymphoma
  • mCRPC – Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer
  • MDS – Myelodysplastic syndrome
  • mets – Metastases

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Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.

This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.