Published online Jan 24, 2020. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v11.i1.31
Peer-review started: March 26, 2019
First decision: September 2, 2019
Revised: October 23, 2019
Accepted: November 6, 2019
Article in press: November 6, 2019
Published online: January 24, 2020
Processing time: 278 Days and 3.6 Hours
Ameloblastomas are benign tumors that arise from the odontogenic epithelium whose behavior is defined as aggressive, infiltrative, recurrent, with aesthetic implications and rarely propense to local and distant metastases. Recently B-raf proto-oncogene serine/threonine kinase (BRAF) V600E gene mutation has been reported in ameloblastomas. Thus, targeted therapies against this mutation have been evaluated as an alternative treatment. In this study, a systematic review was performed in order to evaluate the frequent mutation of BRAF and another associated mutations, as well as targeted therapies against them.
Performing a systematic review allows to know the reports of frequent mutations in ameloblastomas and alternative treatments against them, as well as evaluate therapeutic response.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of BRAF V600E mutation and another related mutations in ameloblastomas and provide information about the role of the mutations in the behavior of ameloblastomas, as well as targeted therapies reported.
A literature research was carried out between January 1st 2009-2019 in order to perform a systematic review, of which 19 articles with relevant content regarding BRAF and its mutations in ameloblastomas were included, as well as targeted therapies against them.
A total of 624 ameloblastomas were evaluated, in which BRAF V600E was the most frequent mutation. Of the total of the included articles, four case reports registered targeted therapies against BRAF V600E.
In the current study, the most frequent mutation was BRAF V600E, which interestingly was frequently associated to other mutations that conferred more aggressiveness with recurrence and metastases. Regarding anatomic location, it is suggested that associated mutations to BRAF V600E are more common in the mandible. Targeted therapies against this mutation represented a significant outcome in patients that presented these types of tumors. Since this is the first systematic review developed about this subject, it could be suggested that the use of targeted therapies as adjuvant to surgical treatment may offer important outcome in the clinical evolution and the follow up, specially in recurrent, metastatic and malignant ameloblastic tumors.
The information obtained in this review demonstrates the current implementation of targeted therapies against BRAF V600E mutation in ameloblastic tumors.