Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 23, 2025

Development and Maintenance of a Preclinical Patient Derived Tumor Xenograft Model for the Investigation of Novel Anti-Cancer Therapies
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Development and Maintenance of a Preclinical Patient Derived Tumor Xenograft Model for the Investigation of Novel Anti-Cancer Therapies

Published on: September 30, 2016

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Treatment options in BRAF-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer

Carolina Bernabe-Ramirez1, Rajvi Patel, Jaspreet Chahal

  • 1Northwell Health Cancer Institute and Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Lake Success, New York, USA.

Anti-Cancer Drugs
|April 19, 2020
PubMed

Insights

BRAF mutations in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) predict poor chemotherapy response. This review details current and emerging treatments targeting this aggressive cancer subtype.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • BRAF mutations are found in ~10% of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) cases.
  • BRAF-mutant mCRC exhibits a distinct molecular profile and aggressive clinical behavior.
  • Standard chemotherapy offers limited efficacy and poorer survival rates in BRAF-mutant mCRC.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current and emerging therapeutic strategies for BRAF-mutant mCRC.
  • To discuss the challenges and rationale for combination therapies targeting the MAPK pathway.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of clinical trials and preclinical studies.
  • Analysis of treatment outcomes for BRAF-mutant mCRC patients.
  • Discussion of targeted therapy combinations.

Main Results:

  • BRAF inhibitors show limited efficacy as monotherapy in BRAF-mutant CRC, unlike in melanoma.
  • Reactivation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway contributes to treatment resistance.
  • Combination therapies targeting the MAPK pathway are under investigation.

Conclusions:

  • BRAF-mutant mCRC requires novel therapeutic approaches beyond standard chemotherapy.
  • Targeting the MAPK pathway at multiple levels holds promise for improving patient outcomes.
  • Emerging agents and combination strategies are crucial for advancing treatment in this population.

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