1. Introduction
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is considered the third most common cancer after lung and breast carcinoma, and the second leading cause of death worldwide after lung cancer. In the United States (US) alone, more than 150,000 new cases and over 52,000 deaths were reported in 2022 [
1,
2]. Around 20% of new diagnoses confirm metastatic CRC (mCRC), while approximately 40% reveal localized cancer that later develops metastases [
3,
4]. From a molecular pathophysiology standpoint, CRC is characterized by specific molecular and mutational alterations. Approximately 40% of CRC patients have KRAS mutations, while 6% have NRAS mutations [
5,
6]. These mutations lead to the constitutive activation of the Ras-Raf-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway downstream of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). As a result, CRC exhibits resistance to anti-EGFR therapies, making the MAPK pathway the primary target [
7,
8]. Notably, mutations in the BRAF gene, a potent modulator of the MAPK pathway, are observed in approximately 8-12% of CRC patients, with BRAF-V600E accounting for over 95% of these mutations [
9,
10].
The identification of BRAF mutations has led to the development of specific oral targeted agents, which are currently used for the treatment of mCRC patients harboring these alterations. These therapies offer several advantages over injectable formulations, including flexibility, convenience, cost-effectiveness in some cases, and improved compliance [
11,
12]. Currently, two types of oral BRAF inhibitors (BRAFi) with mCRC indication are available: regorafenib (REG) since 2012 and encorafenib (ENC) [
13,
14]. ENC is approved for use in combination with cetuximab (CET) for the treatment of mCRC in 2020.
Although the introduction of REG and ENC has improved survival in patients with mCRC, their use is not exempt from adverse events (AEs). In premarketing studies, almost 91% of patients treated with REG experienced at least one AE, including serious ones, with fatigue (46%), hand-foot skin reaction (HFSR) (42%), and hypertension (30%) being the most common [
15]. Gastrointestinal disorders are primarily reported for ENC, along with fatigue (33%) and dermatitis acneiform (30%) [
16]. Due to the clinical relevance of some AEs that have not been fully characterized yet, it may be beneficial to use real-word data from the spontaneous reporting system (SRS) databases. Renal adverse drug reactions (ADRs) have been identified in several studies, suggesting that nephrotoxicity may be a common class effect of BRAFi [
16,
17,
18]. However, the specific mechanisms underlying kidney-related ADRs are not fully understood. Additionally, only proteinuria is reported as a renal and urinary disorder in the label of REG [
13].
Currently, only a few studies have been conducted on REG [
19,
20,
21], and there are no studies directly comparing the safety profiles of REG and ENC plus CET. The SRS databases play a crucial role in identifying new ADRs and may, therefore, contribute to improving the quality of life (QoL) and overall clinical outcomes of treatment. For this reason, the aim of the study was to evaluate and characterize the safety profile of oral BRAFi for mCRC, with a specific focus on renal and urinary disorders. This was achieved by conducting an analysis of the US Food and Drug Administration's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
4. Discussion
This study, focusing on renal disorders associated with oral BRAFi in patients with mCRC using the FAERS database, can be considered the first of its kind. Renal disorders accounted for approximately 8% of all the reports analyzed. The findings of this analysis revealed a higher association of renal ADRs with males with an equal distribution between the adult and elderly population, compared to other cases. Previous studies have indicated that men may have a higher risk of developing renal impairment with targeted therapies compared to women [
25,
26]. This could be attributed to testosterone which has been implicated in the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the worsening of kidney function in men [
27]. The onset of renal ADRs in both adult and elderly patients could be related to the early screening of mCRC in adults [
2], as well as the presence of comorbidities commonly found in elderly patients diagnosed with cancer, such as hypertension or diabetes mellitus, along with pre-existing kidney dysfunction. These factors can substantially contribute to the development of nephrotoxicity [
28]. Notably, two case reports have confirmed instances of renal impairment in two patients aged 62 and 70, respectively, who received REG treatment for mCRC [
29,
30].
Renal ADRs were predominantly classified as serious compared to other reported ADRs, as evidenced by literature data on TKIs where a significant proportion (79%) of renal reports were serious [
26]. In contrast to the previous pharmacovigilance study, a clinical trial reported serious renal disorders of grade 3 in only 10% of the patients [
31]. This suggests that the occurrence of severe renal complications associated with the treatment may vary between real-life studies and clinical trials, underscoring the importance of pharmacovigilance in safety investigations. The higher frequency of renal ADRs requiring hospitalization can be explained by the complexity of patients, particularly older adults, who are often on polytherapy and may have multi-organ damage that poses a risk to their own life [
32,
33].
The median TTO for renal ADRs was found to be higher with ENC compared to REG. In the literature, the median TTO for all TKIs varied significantly, ranging from 26 days to 684 days for renal disorders [
26,
34]. This greater difference could be attributed to the fact that different TKIs, including ENC and REG, may have distinct renal effects and toxicity profiles, leading to variations in the occurrence of serious renal disorders. However, a previous study reported a similar median TTO of 27 days for AKI in patients treated with ENC, which aligns with our findings [
35]. Furthermore, three case series have indicated the presence of two types of kidney injury associated with BRAFi. One type manifested shortly after the initiation of drug treatment, typically within 1-2 weeks. The other type of kidney injury had a more gradual onset and became apparent within 1-2 months [
18].
Despite extensive explanations reported in the literature regarding the occurrence of renal disorders with REG and ENC, several relevant disproportionality signals related to REG and ENC in the SOC renal and urinary disorders have not been mentioned in the FDA Full Prescribing Information. One possible explanation is that REG functions as a multikinase inhibitor, affecting molecules, such as the vascular-endothelial growth factor (VEGF), that play a crucial role in the glomerular filtration barrier. This can result in increased proteinuria and the development of thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) [
29,
36,
37]. Additionally, REG, like other well-documented anti-angiogenetic agents, may exhibit dose-dependent nephrotoxicity [
38]. Moreover, renal impairment has been associated with BRAFi, including ENC. This finding aligns with kidney biopsy results observed in patients treated with other BRAFi, such as vemurafenib, which showed signs of acute and chronic tubular injury [
39]. However, the underlying mechanisms of nephrotoxicity in relation to BRAFi are not yet fully understood. One possible mechanism is the interaction of BRAFi with tubular creatinine secretion, which may induce acute tubular necrosis (ATN) [
40]. Furthermore, the potential involvement of ENC in association with CET cannot exclude the role of CET itself in the development of renal disorders. This can be explained by the role of EGFR in cell regeneration following ATN. The use of anti-EGFR therapies, such as CET, may potentially hinder the re-epithelialization of tubules and impede the recovery process [
41]. Additionally, in the European Medicines Agency (EMA)’s Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC), renal failure is reported as an ADR associated with ENC [
42].
Considering all the disproportionality analyses, potential safety signals were identified for REG, including prerenal failure, renal failure, and AKI. These ADRs could also be associated with other potential safety signals such as renal impairment, renal disorders, and renal pain. Prerenal failure and AKI typically occur as a result of extrarenal diseases that lead to a decrease in the glomerular filtration rate [
43]. TKIs may induce AKI through two mechanisms: toxic injury to the renal tubules and the occurrence of tumor lysis syndrome [
44]. Furthermore, TKIs have the potential to cause injury to podocytes by inducing tyrosine phosphorylation of nephrin, which is a critical protein in maintaining the integrity of the filtration barrier. The loss of normal podocyte fenestration can lead to various complications, including microvascular injury, capillary thrombosis, and the development of renal glomeruli sclerotic lesions, ultimately resulting in renal failure [
45].
Regarding the potential signal related to nephrotic syndrome, a previous study has assessed that the known side effect of REG, proteinuria, could lead to minimal change nephrotic syndrome and TMA [
46]. Interestingly, TMA has been found to occur more frequently in anti-VEGF therapies, such as bevacizumab, while nephrotic syndrome has been associated with other TKIs, including dasatinib [
47]. It is worth noting that instances of nephrotic syndrome, with or without TMA characteristics, as severe side effects of TKIs in adult cancer patients, have been infrequently reported in the literature [
30,
48].
The disproportionality analysis revealed a significant association between REG and various urinary ADRs, including micturition disorder, urinary retention, urinary tract obstruction, urinary incontinence, anuria, nocturia, dysuria, oliguria, hydronephrosis, chromaturia, and urine odour abnormal. In the REG FDA Full Prescribing Information, burning or painful urination is reported as a symptom associated with infections [
13]. It is possible that the presence of an infection itself can lead to difficulties or discomfort during urination, which encompasses all the potential signals mentioned above. Furthermore, urinary disorders including chromaturia, may be associated with other ADRs, such as severe bleeding and liver problems. According to the FDA Full Prescribing Information, pink or brown urine may indicate severe bleeding, while dark "tea-colored" urine may suggest liver problems [
13]. Additionally, an abnormal urine odour could potentially indicate the development of CRC. Unusual changes in the smell of urine may serve as a notable symptom that should prompt further investigation or medical evaluation to assess the possibility of underlying CRC [
49]. Moreover, dysuria was identified as a potential safety signal for ENC as well. A previous premarketing study demonstrated the occurrence of urinary tract infection in approximately 8% of patients receiving ENC plus CET [
16]. Urinary tract infection is one of the most common causes of dysuria [
50]. Therefore, the onset of dysuria could be a consequence of the onset of this infection.
Strengths and Limitations
The risk/benefit profile of oral BRAFi appears to be well characterized. However, renal ADRs are not fully mentioned in the FDA Full Prescribing Information for REG and ENC. The strength of this study lies in the large number of reports analyzed, which contribute to the cumulative knowledge about the nephrotoxicity of BRAFi. The use of a global database and the combination of a disproportionality approach with case/non-case evaluation has been documented in the literature [
23,
51]. One of the main advantages of using the SRS database is its ability to generate new potential safety signals for ADRs that may result undetected during the premarketing phase [
52]. Patients with cancer often experience a lower health-related QoL, which can be influenced by the use of chemotherapeutic agents, including second- and third-line therapies as observed previously [
53,
54]. Notably, the increased use of BRAFi as second-line therapy in patients with mCRC following prior treatment with nephrotoxic chemotherapeutic agents may impact QoL [
28,
38,
55,
56]. Moreover, renal disorders can worsen over the duration of the tumor course and the progression of metastases. In this context, it would be interesting to analyze, in a real-world setting, whether the patterns of metastatic disease in CRC (e.g. bone metastasis, which can be associated with hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria) could influence the development of renal ADRs. Therefore, timely detection of ADRs can assist oncologists in the best treatment choices for patients affected by mCRC.
However, the FAERS database may not always provide comprehensive information on potential confounding factors. Details such as a patient's past medical history, concomitant treatments, and precise dosing and frequency of drug administration may not always be available, which limits the ability to fully assess the impact of these factors on kidney toxicity. Various factors, including gender differences [
27] and underlying conditions associated with mCRC such as diarrhea, dehydration, bone marrow suppression, and infections, could also contribute to kidney toxicity [
34]. The absence of drug users as a denominator, underreporting or overreporting phenomena, as well as the lack of specific data in the FAERS database, can pose challenges in establishing a clear causal relationship between the use of BRAFi and the occurrence of renal ADRs. Although disproportionality analysis is a validated method used in drug safety research and surveillance to identify potential signals of ADRs, it is crucial to acknowledge that disproportionality analysis alone should be considered an exploratory approach to generate signals rather than providing definitive confirmation of causality [
57].
Author Contributions
Conceptualization, G.R., M.A.B., and E.E.S.; methodology, M.A.B.; validation, N.S. and E.S.: formal analysis, M.A.B. and E.E.S.; writing—original draft preparation, G.R. and M.A.B.; writing—review and editing, M.A.B., T.F., and M.S.; visualization, G.R., M.A.B., E.E.S., G.C., T.F., M.S., N.S., and E.S.; supervision, N.S. and E.S. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.