BRAF mutation testing for the choice of melanoma treatment

: Individual life-time risk of melanoma in white residents of highly developed countries may be as high as 2%. Continuing rise of melanoma incidence is directly related to the improving life standards, especially to growing opportunities of attending sea resorts and getting tanned. Melanoma is usually highly aggressive and resistant to standard cytotoxic therapy, therefore 5-years survival of patients with the metastatic disease does not exceed 10-15%. Approximately 50% of melanomas contain point mutation in codon 600 of the BRAF kinase. Specific inhibitors of activated BRAF have demonstrated unprecedented therapeutic efficacy, thus BRAF testing has become a mandatory component of treatment planning for inoperable melanoma. This review discusses key issues, which are related to various clinical, morphological, and molecular genetic aspects of determination of BRAF status in metastatic melanoma.