BRAF mutation is associated with poor clinicopathological outcomes in colorectal cancer: A meta-analysis

Background/Aims: The clinical relevance of the BRAF mutation in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) remains controversial. We performed a comprehensive meta-analysis to evaluate the precise relationship of BRAF mutation to clinicopathological features. Materials and Methods: A systematic search of the electronic databases, including PubMed, the Web of Knowledge, and the China Journal Net was performed between January 2005 and December 2015. Outcomes of interest included gender, tumor site, tumor differentiation, node involvement, tumor size, and AJCC stage. We calculated the pooled odds ratios (ORs) or risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each study using a random or fixed-effect model. Results: Twenty-five studies with a total of 13208 patients were included. BRAF mutation-positive CRC patients were 1464 (11.1%). Our meta-analysis revealed that, in patients with CRC, the BRAF mutation was associated with female, proximal site, poor differentiation, >5 cm size, and advanced AJCC stage. Conclusions: This meta-analysis demonstrated that BRAF mutation was closely related to adverse pathological features and poor outcome of CRC.