Mutation profiling of cancer drivers in Brazilian colorectal cancer

Sci Rep. 2019 Sep 23;9(1):13687. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-49611-1.

Abstract

The molecular basis of colorectal cancer (CRC) can guide patient prognosis and therapy. In Brazil, knowledge on the CRC mutation landscape is limited. Here, we investigated the mutation profile of 150 cancer-related genes by next-generation sequencing and associated with microsatellite instability (MSI) and genetic ancestry in a series of 91 Brazilian CRC patients. Driver mutations were found in the APC (71.4%), TP53 (56.0%), KRAS (52.7%), PIK3CA (15.4%) and FBXW7 (10.9%) genes. Overall, genes in the MAPK/ERK, PIK3/AKT, NOTCH and receptor tyrosine kinase signaling pathways were mutated in 68.0%, 23.1%, 16.5%, and 15.3% of patients, respectively. MSI was found in 13.3% of tumors, most of which were proximal (52.4%, P< 0.001) and had a high mutation burden. European genetic ancestry was predominant (median of 83.1%), followed by Native American (4.1%), Asian (3.4%) and African (3.2%). NF1 and BRAF mutations were associated with African ancestry, while TP53 and PIK3CA mutations were inversely correlated with Native American ancestry. Our study suggests that Brazilian CRC patients exhibit a mutation profile similar to other populations and identify the most frequently mutated genes, which could be useful in future target therapies and molecular cancer screening strategies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein / genetics
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics*
  • Brazil
  • Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / genetics
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology
  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • F-Box-WD Repeat-Containing Protein 7 / genetics
  • Female
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Microsatellite Instability*
  • Middle Aged
  • Mutation*
  • Prognosis
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / genetics
  • Signal Transduction / genetics*

Substances

  • APC protein, human
  • Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • F-Box-WD Repeat-Containing Protein 7
  • KRAS protein, human
  • Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
  • PIK3CA protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)