title: Analysis of BRAF mutation in primary and metastatic melanoma.
abstract: Mutation of BRAF has been proposed to contribute to melanoma development. However, it remains unclear whether or not BRAF mutation is associated with any particular stage of melanoma progression. Tumor biopsy specimens from patients with melanoma were analyzed to determine whether the frequency of BRAF mutation in metastatic melanoma differed from primary melanoma. BRAF mutation was present in 15 of 23 (61%) patients with primary melanoma and in 7 of 12 (58%) patients with metastatic melanoma. These results suggest that BRAF mutation in melanoma is most likely to occur prior to the development of metastatic disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy. mlibra@unict.it
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Libra
authors.forename: Grazia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Malaponte
authors.forename: Patrick M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Navolanic
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gangemi
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bevelacqua
authors.forename: Lidia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Proietti
authors.forename: Bibiana
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bruni
authors.forename: Franca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stivala
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Mazzarino
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Travali
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: McCubrey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C482119:BRAF protein, human; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf