Home › Cancer types › Lung cancer › KRAS-positive lung cancer
KRAS-positive lung cancer (including G12C)
KRAS is the most common driver change in lung cancer, and new medicines now target it. Here's what it means for you and your family.
ℹ️ General information to help you and your loved ones talk with your care team, not medical advice. Read our disclaimer.
The quick guide
What it means: A mutation in the KRAS gene drives growth. G12C is one specific change that can be targeted.
How it's found: Found with a gene panel on tissue or blood.
How common it is: KRAS changes show up in about 25 to 30% of lung adenocarcinomas; G12C is about 1 in 8 non-small cell lung cancers.
How treatment works
🌱 Early-stage
- Early-stage treatment is the same as for other non-small cell lung cancers: surgery, chemo and often immunotherapy before or after.
🔁 Advanced or metastatic
- First treatment is usually immunotherapy with or without chemo, based on PD-L1.
- After that, KRAS G12C pills such as sotorasib or adagrasib may be used.
Approvals depend on stage and prior treatment. Your care team will decide what fits you.
Drug guides
Biomarker tests that matter
Side effects you may notice
- Fatigue (extreme tiredness)
- Diarrhea (loose, watery stools)
- Nausea and vomiting (CINV)
- Neutropenia (low blood counts and infection risk)
❓ Questions you and your loved ones can ask
- Is my KRAS change G12C?
- Will I start with immunotherapy?
Back to Lung cancer overview. Other types: EGFR-positive lung cancer, ALK-positive lung cancer, Lung cancer with ROS1, BRAF, MET, RET, NTRK, HER2 or NRG1 changes, Lung cancer with no driver mutation (PD-L1 guides treatment), Small cell lung cancer (SCLC).
Written by the Cancer Side Effects Guide team from FDA labels and leading cancer centers. Not medical advice. · Last updated: October 15, 2026 · How we write