Sequencing analysis of BRAF mutations in human cancers.

Cancers arise because of the accumulation of mutations in critical genes that alter normal programs of cell proliferation, differentiation, and death. The RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK-MAP kinase pathway mediates cellular responses to growth signals. RAS is mutated to an oncogenic form in approximately 15% of human cancer. The three RAF genes code for cytoplasmic serine/threonine kinases that are regulated by binding RAS. ARAF and c-RAF are infrequently mutated in human cancer. However, BRAF is mutated in a wide range of human cancers. Most mutations are within the kinase domain, with a single amino acid substitution (V600E) accounting for most mutations.