The frequency of KRAS and BRAF mutations in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas and their correlation with clinical outcome

Abstract

The incidence of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is increasing worldwide. The prognosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is poor, and a better understanding of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma tumor biology is needed to more accurately predict clinical outcome and to suggest potential targets for more effective therapies. v-Ki-ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) and BRAF are frequently mutated oncogenes that promote carcinogenesis in a variety of tumor types. In this study, we analyze a large set of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma tumors (n = 54) for mutations in these genes and compare the clinical outcomes of wild type versus KRAS and BRAF mutant cases. Of 54 cases, 7.4% were mutant for KRAS, 7.4% were mutant for BRAF, and these were mutually exclusive. These mutant cases were associated with a higher tumor stage at time of resection and a greater likelihood of lymph node involvement. These cases were also associated with a worse long-term overall survival. Therefore, testing for KRAS and BRAF mutations could be a valuable adjunct in improving both prognosis and outcome stratification among patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.