title: Prognostic Role of BRAF Mutations in Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastases.
abstract: The impact of tumor biology on prognosis in patients with colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) has been the topic of intense research. Specifically, the presence of BRAF mutations has been recently associated with adverse long-term outcomes. We examined the existing literature on the prognostic implications of BRAF mutations in patients with CRLM.
  
  
  
  A structured review of the literature was performed between 5/1/2016 and 6/1/2016 using the PubMed database. Original research articles published between 1/1/2010 and 4/01/2016 were considered eligible. The primary end-points were overall survival (OS)/disease-specific survival (DSS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) among patients with BRAF mutated CRLM who underwent resection.
  
  
  
  Eight studies were included. All studies reported on OS/DSS, while 6 reported on RFS. BRAF mutant status was a strong independent predictor of both worse OS/DSS and RFS in 7 and 4 studies, respectively.
  
  
  
  BRAF-mutant lesions are consistently associated with poor prognosis. Consequently, the indications of CRLM resection in this patient group should be reconsidered.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Surgery, Laiko Hospital, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Emmanouil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pikoulis
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, U.S.A. gmargon1@jhu.edu.
authors.forename: Georgios A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Margonis
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Andreatos
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Kazunari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.affiliation: First Department of Surgery, Laiko Hospital, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Anastasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Angelou
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Abdominal and Transplantation Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Polychronidis
authors.affiliation: First Department of Surgery, Laiko Hospital, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pikouli
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Riza
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Timothy M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Pawlik
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Propaedeutic Surgery, Laiko Hospital, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Efstathios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Antoniou
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D009154:Mutation; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C482119:BRAF protein, human; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf
keywords: BRAF; CRLM; prognosis