title: BRAFV600E-mutant melanoma presenting with cardiac involvement.
abstract: Melanoma is an aggressive skin cancer with historically limited treatment options. Approximately 50% of melanomas harbor BRAF(V600) mutations. This report describes a 32-year-old man with metastatic BRAF(V600)-mutant melanoma who presented with cardiac involvement. Recently developed treatment options for patients with BRAF-mutant melanoma include BRAF inhibitors (vemurafenib, dabrafenib), MEK inhibitors (trametinib), and immune-based therapeutics (interleukin-2 or ipilimumab), but the most effective strategy for first-line therapy is heavily debated. Opinions vary for treatment selection, but the general consensus recommends immune-based therapies initially for asymptomatic patients with low-volume disease, and BRAF inhibitors for those with highly symptomatic or rapidly progressing disease. In this case, melanoma with cardiac involvement, although clinically uncommon, presents challenging management decisions.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Hematology/Oncology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Douglas B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Jeffrey A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Sosman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000556:secondary*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000556:secondary*; D009154:Mutation; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / Q000235:genetics*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: C482119:BRAF protein, human; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf