What happens when BRAF is mutated?

Normally, an oncogene turns on cell growth as needed. But if you have a BRAF mutation, it’s like the gas pedal is stuck down, and the gene can’t stop cells from growing. Uncontrolled cell growth can lead to cancer. A BRAF mutation can be inherited from your parents or acquired later in life.

Is BRAF mutation good or bad?

Getting a positive test for the BRAF V600 tumor mutation is certainly good news for a newly diagnosed melanoma patient. This is because some targeted drugs work very well against such tumors, which account for about 50% of melanomas.

Is BRAF melanoma aggressive?

Even though BRAF-positive melanomas can be more aggressive, many factors can affect the risk of your melanoma coming back.

Can BRAF mutation be cured?

As such, they do not (usually) “cure” a cancer, but can sometimes control the growth of a cancer for a significant period of time. BRAF inhibitors are most often used along with medications that inhibit the growth of a tumor at other points in the signaling pathway (such as MEK inhibitors).

How are BRAF inhibitors used to treat melanoma?

The BRAF inhibitors vemurafenib, dabrafenib and encorafenib are used in the treatment of patients with BRAF-mutant melanoma. They selectively target BRAF kinase and thus interfere with the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway that regulates the proliferation and survival of mel …

What kind of cancer has high incidence of BRAF mutations?

1 Young people with melanoma 2 Tumors found in areas of the body that do not have chronic sun damage (mucosal tumors, such as anal melanoma, have a high incidence of BRAF mutations) 3 Tumors classified as superficial spreading or nodular

How is vemurafenib used to treat metastatic melanoma?

Vemurafenib has been extensively tested on melanoma patients expressing the BRAFV600E mutated form; it has been demonstrated to be also effective in inhibiting melanomas carrying the V600K mutation. In 2011, both FDA and EMA therefore approved vemurafenib for metastatic melanoma carrying BRAFV600 mutations.

Which is the best drug for BRAF V600E mutations?

1 Zelboraf (vemurafenib): This was the first drug approved in 2011 for BRAF V600E mutations 2 Taflinar (dabrafenib): Taflinar was approved (in combination with Mekinist) in 2013 for both V600 E and V600K mutations 3 Braftovi (encorafenib)