Clinicopathological Features and Prognostic Value of KRAS/NRAS/BRAF Mutations in Colorectal Cancer Patients of Central China

Current Medical Science volume 41, pages118–126(2021)Cite this article

Summary

The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) is increasing in China, with high mortality. Here, we aimed to evaluate the latest clinicopathological features and prognostic value of the KRAS/NRAS/BRAF mutation status in CRC patients in Central China. The clinical data of 1549 CRC patients with stage I-IV disease diagnosed at Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology from 2015 to 2017 were collected and analyzed retrospectively. KRAS/NRAS/BRAF mutations were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR) in 410 CRC patients, with mutation frequencies of KRAS, NRAS and BRAF of 47.56%, 2.93% and 4.15%, respectively. The gene mutation status and clinicopathological characteristics of 410 patients with CRC who underwent qPCR were analyzed. The KRAS and BRAF gene mutations were related to the pathological differentiation and number of metastatic lymph nodes. The BRAF gene mutation was also associated with cancer thrombosis in blood vessels. Cox regression analysis showed that there was no statistically significant difference in the overall survival (OS) between patients with KRAS, NRAS mutants and wild-type CRC patients, while the BRAF gene mutation was negatively correlated with the OS rate of CRC patients. It is suggested that the BRAF gene mutation may be an independent risk factor for the prognosis of CRC.

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Author notes

  1. The authors contributed equally to this work.

Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China

    Xiao-na Chang, Jun Fan, Xiao-chuan Dong, Ming Yang, Yan Li & Xiu Nie

  2. Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China

    Fu-mei Shang, Chen Chen, Zhe-yan Zhao & Hong-li Liu

  3. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, the Ministry of Education Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China

    Hong-yu Jiang & Li Liu

  4. Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China

    Sheng-he Deng & Kai-lin Cai

Authors
  1. Xiao-na Chang
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  2. Fu-mei Shang
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  3. Hong-yu Jiang
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  4. Chen Chen
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  5. Zhe-yan Zhao
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  6. Sheng-he Deng
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  7. Jun Fan
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  8. Xiao-chuan Dong
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  9. Ming Yang
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  10. Yan Li
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  11. Kai-lin Cai
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  12. Li Liu
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  13. Hong-li Liu
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  14. Xiu Nie
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Hong-li Liu or Xiu Nie.

Additional information

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81472707) and Chinese South Western Oncology Group (CSWOG-CCET005).

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest.

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Chang, Xn., Shang, Fm., Jiang, Hy. et al. Clinicopathological Features and Prognostic Value of KRAS/NRAS/BRAF Mutations in Colorectal Cancer Patients of Central China. CURR MED SCI 41, 118–126 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-021-2326-1

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Key words

  • colorectal cancer
  • KRAS mutation
  • NRAS mutation
  • BRAF mutation
  • prognosis