KRAS mutation detection by high-resolution melting analysis significantly predicts clinical benefit of cetuximab in metastatic colorectal cancer.
BACKGROUND
Anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) monoclonal antibodies are restricted to KRAS wild-type (WT) metastatic colorectal cancers (mCRCs), usually identified by direct sequencing, that may yield false negative results because of genetic heterogeneity within the tumour. We evaluated the efficiency of high-resolution melting analysis (HRMA) in identifying KRAS-mutant (MUT) tumours.


METHODS
We considered 50 mCRC patients scored as KRAS-WT by direct sequencing and treated with cetuximab-containing chemotherapy, and tested the correlations between HRMA findings and response rate (RR), progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS).


RESULTS
Aberrant melting curves were detected in four (8%) cases; gene cloning confirmed these mutations. Response rate (RR) of HRMA KRAS-WT patients was 28.3%. There was no response in HRMA KRAS-MUT patients. Disease control rate (responsive plus stable disease) was 58.7% in HRMA KRAS-WT patients and 25% in HRMA KRAS-MUT patients. There was no correlation between HRMA KRAS status and RR (P=0.287) or disease control (P=0.219). Median PFS (4.8 vs 2.3 months; hazard ratio (HR)=0.29, P=0.02) and OS (11.0 vs 2.7 months; HR=0.11, P=0.03) were significantly longer for the HRMA KRAS-WT than for HRMA KRAS-MUT patients.


CONCLUSIONS
High-resolution melting analysis identified 8% more KRAS-MUT patients not responding to cetuximab-containing regimens, suggesting that HRMA may be more effective than direct sequencing in selecting patients for anti-EGFR antibodies.
Department of Biomorfologic and Functional Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
U
U
Malapelle
C
C
Carlomagno
M
M
Salatiello
A
A
De Stefano
C
C
De Luca
R
R
Bianco
R
R
Marciano
C
C
Cimminiello
C
C
Bellevicine
S
S
De Placido
G
G
Troncone
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068818:Cetuximab; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis / Q000379:methods; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods*; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018631:ras Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018631:ras Proteins; D000068818:Cetuximab