BRAF mutation as a potential marker to identify the proximal colon serrated polyps with malignant potential

A large number of serrated polyps with malignant potential in the proximal colon were underestimated using currently available criteria mostly based on architectural and cytological features, contributing to proximal interval colorectal cancers. Recently, increasing evidences indicate that BRAF^(V600E) mutation is a specific molecular feature and driver of the serrated pathway, and proximal serrated polyps with BRAF^(V600E) mutation have a high risk of progression to malignancy. We proposed that immunohistochemical detection of BRAF^(V600E) using a BRAF^(V600E) mutation-specific antibody is a feasible technique for reproducibly identifying proximal serrated polyps with malignant potential in clinical practice, which may need more aggressive treatment and vigilant clinical monitoring.