Current therapy of advanced colorectal cancer according to RAS/RAF mutational status

• Published in: Cancer and metastasis reviews Vol. 39; no. 4; pp. 1143 - 1157
• Main Authors: Lakatos, Gábor, Köhne, Claus-Henning, Bodoky, György
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.12.2020; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cancer; Cancer Research; Care and treatment; Colorectal cancer; Colorectal carcinoma; Decision making; Drug therapy, Combination; Epidermal growth factor receptors; Gene mutations; Genetic aspects; Health aspects; Metastases; Metastasis; Oncology; Panitumumab; Patients; Prognosis; Raf protein; Biomarker; BRAF; RAS; Targeted therapy; Colorectal cancer
• ISSN: 0167-7659; 1573-7233
• DOI: 10.1007/s10555-020-09913-7

Colorectal cancer is a clinically and molecularly heterogeneous disease. Currently, extended RAS and BRAF mutation testing is obligatory in routine clinical practice before starting any treatment in the metastatic setting. Treatment decision making also includes assessment of the clinical condition of the patient, definition of the treatment goal, and consideration of the primary tumor site. Biological treatment is part of the first-line drug combination unless contraindicated. Mutational status is significantly associated with the outcome of patients and is strongly predictive for anti-EGFR-targeted therapy. The prognosis of RAS mutant CRC is clearly inferior to wild-type cases. RAS remains an elusive target, and specific treatment options are not yet available. Recently, promising results of a direct KRAS G12C inhibitor have been reported; however, further confirmation is needed. The biomarker landscape in mCRC is evolving; new promising markers are awaited with the chance of more precise targeted treatment.