KRAS and PIK3CA mutations in colorectal adenocarcinomas correlate with aggressive histological features and behavior.

Tumor budding (TB) in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition and has been recently characterized as an indicator of poor prognosis along with lymphovascular tumor emboli, perineural invasion, and an infiltrative growth pattern. Mutations in the genes of the Ras-mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase pathways are associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition and an aggressive CRC phenotype and have been used in patient stratification for anti-epidermal growth factor receptor therapies; however, the impact of these mutations on CRC morphology and behavior remains unclear. In this study, using a multigene panel, we detected KRAS, NRAS, BRAF, PIK3CA, TP53, and POLE mutations in 90 CRCs and investigated their associations with clinicopathological parameters, including TB.