Abstract
BRAF mutations, present in 5 to 10% of colorectal cancers, have a proved oncogenic effect which is linked to their implication in the RAS/MAPK intracellular signalling pathway and they occurred at early stage of colorectal carcinogenesis. Many studies have therefore assessed their clinical significance as diagnostic and prognostic marker in colorectal cancers. More recently, their location downstream to EGFR and KRAS in the RAS/MAPK pathway have led to their evaluation as predictive marker of resistance to anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies. This article aims to review the role of BRAF mutations in the diagnostic strategy of Lynch syndrome, their prognostic value in colorectal cancers and their potential value as predictive marker of resistance to anti-EGFR antibodies.
MeSH terms
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Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use
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Colonic Neoplasms / drug therapy
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Colonic Neoplasms / genetics
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Colorectal Neoplasms / drug therapy
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Colorectal Neoplasms / genetics*
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Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology
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Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis / diagnosis
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Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis / drug therapy
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Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis / genetics
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DNA Mutational Analysis / methods
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Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics
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ErbB Receptors / genetics
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ErbB Receptors / metabolism
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Genes, erbB-1
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Humans
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Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / metabolism
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Point Mutation / genetics*
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Prognosis
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / genetics*
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / physiology
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)
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ras Proteins / metabolism
Substances
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Antibodies, Monoclonal
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KRAS protein, human
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins
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ErbB Receptors
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BRAF protein, human
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf
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Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)
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ras Proteins