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Review
. 2013 Winter;6(1):6-13.

Clinical implications of BRAF mutation test in colorectal cancer

Ehsan Nazemalhosseini Mojarad  1 , Roya Kishani Farahani  2 , Mahdi Montazer Haghighi  2 , Hamid Asadzadeh Aghdaei  2 , Peter Jk Kuppen  3 , Mohammad Reza Zali  1
Affiliations
Review

Clinical implications of BRAF mutation test in colorectal cancer

Ehsan Nazemalhosseini Mojarad et al. Gastroenterol Hepatol Bed Bench. 2013 Winter.

Abstract

Knowledge about the clinical significance of V-Raf Murine Sarcoma Viral Oncogene Homolog B1 (BRAF) mutations in colorectal cancer (CRC) is growing. BRAF encodes a protein kinase involved with intracellular signaling and cell division. The gene product is a downstream effector of Kirsten Ras 1(KRAS) within the RAS/RAF/MAPK cellular signaling pathway. Evidence suggests that BRAF mutations, like KRAS mutations, result in uncontrolled, non-growth factor-dependent cellular proliferation. Similar to the rationale that KRAS mutation precludes effective treatment with anti-EGFR drugs. Recently, BRAF mutation testing has been introduced into routine clinical laboratories because its significance has become clearer in terms of effect on pathogenesis of CRC, utility in differentiating sporadic CRC from Lynch syndrome (LS), prognosis, and potential for predicting patient outcome in response to targeted drug therapy. In this review we describe the impact of BRAF mutations for these aspects.

Keywords: BRAF mutation; Colorectal Cancer; Prognosis value.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Algorithm for genetic testing in colorectal cancer, following the microsatellite instability (MSI) route, when the samples are first tested for microsatellite instability, next for mutated BRAF, and finally for expression of mismatch repair enzymes by immunohistochemistry (IHC).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Algorithm for genetic testing in colorectal cancer when the samples are first tested for expression of mismatch repair enzymes by immunohistochemistry (IHC), next for mutated BRAF, and finally checking MMR in full sequence
Figure 3
Figure 3
Algorithm for genetic testing in colorectal cancer when the patient is a candidate for Anti-EGFR therapy.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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