title: BRAF mutations, microsatellite instability status and cyclin D1 expression predict metastatic colorectal patients' outcome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The significance of BRAF mutations, microsatelite instability (MSI) status and cyclin D1 expression in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary tumours from 144 patients treated for mCRC were assessed for BRAF (V600E) mutation, MSI status and cyclin D1. The data were correlated with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  BRAF mutations were detected in 10 (out of 22, 45%) patients with MSI-H tumours compared with 2 (out of 122, 1.6%) in those with microsatellite stable tumours (P<0.001). The presence of BRAF mutations was correlated with cyclin D1 overexpression (7 out of 26 patients, 58% vs 5 out of 118 patients, 14%; P=0.001). Patients with BRAF-mutated primary tumours had a significantly decreased PFS (2.7 vs 9.8 months; P<0.001) and median OS (14 vs 30 months; P<0.001) than patients with wild-type (wt) tumours. Patients with MSI-H and BRAF-mutated tumours experienced significantly lower PFS (3.1 vs 11.4 months; P=0.008) and OS (14.5 vs 35.5 months; P=0.004) than patients with MSI-H and BRAF wt tumours. Similarly, BRAF mutations and cyclin D1 overexpression were correlated with decreased PFS (3.1 vs 8.6 months; P=0.03) and OS (17.8 vs 39.2 months; P=0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BRAF V600E mutations are associated with MSI-H status and cyclin D1 overexpression and characterize a subgroup of patients with poor prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Saridaki
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Papadatos-Pastos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tzardi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mavroudis
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bairaktari
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arvanity
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stathopoulos
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Georgoulias
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Souglakos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D019938:Cyclin D1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053842:Microsatellite Instability; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011379:Prognosis; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D019938:Cyclin D1; C482119:BRAF protein, human; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf