BRAF, KRAS, and Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase in the Management of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Currently, the incorporation of monoclonal antibodies in metastatic colorectal cancer treatment is a reality. Mutated genes such as those encoding KRAS , BRAF , and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase have been implicated in the lack of efficacy of epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors. This review briefly describes each of these genes and their pathways, as well as their prevalence in colorectal cancer tumors. The main purpose of this article is to correlate KRAS , BRAF , and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase individually in the management of metastatic colorectal cancer, their real influence as predictive and/or prognostic markers, and this correlation with treatment outcome. Lastly, it concisely points some of the possible resistance mechanisms for epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors.