Distribution of KRAS and BRAF mutations in Moroccan patients with advanced colorectal cancer

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Genetics
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Targeted therapies are increasingly vital in digestive oncology.
• Understanding KRAS and BRAF mutation profiles is crucial for effective colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment selection.
• Limited data exists on these mutations in Moroccan CRC patient populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the distribution of common KRAS and BRAF mutations in Moroccan patients with advanced colorectal cancer (CRC).
• To evaluate the implications of these mutations for anti-EGFR targeted therapy eligibility in this population.
• To establish a baseline for future targeted therapy implementation in Morocco.

Main Methods:

• Genotyping of 92 advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) patient samples.
• Analysis for nine common mutations in the KRAS and BRAF genes.
• Identification of KRAS wild-type (wt-KRAS) and mutant genotypes, and BRAF V600E mutations.

Main Results:

• 76.09% of patients had wt-KRAS, while 23.91% were KRAS mutants.
• The majority of KRAS mutations involved glycine to aspartic acid substitutions (68.2%), with predominant G>A transitions and G>T transversions.
• BRAF V600E mutation was found in 5.43% of patients; only one patient had both KRAS and BRAF mutations.
• Approximately 28.26% of patients carried KRAS or BRAF mutations potentially conferring resistance to anti-EGFR therapy.

Conclusions:

• This study provides the first report on KRAS and BRAF mutation frequencies in Moroccan advanced CRC patients.
• A significant proportion of patients (28.26%) may not benefit from anti-EGFR therapies due to identified mutations.
• These findings support the integration of molecular profiling for targeted therapy selection in CRC management in Morocco.