BRAF Mutation (V600E) Prevalence in Mexican Patients Diagnosed with Melanoma

BACKGROUND: B-Raf is a serine/threonine protein kinase activating the MAP kinase/ERK-signaling pathway. It has been shown that 50% of melanomas harbor activating BRAF mutations, with over 90% being the V600E mutation. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this research was to determine the prevalence of the BRAF V600E mutation in patients from Central Mexico diagnosed with primary melanoma. METHODS: Skin biopsies from 47 patients with melanoma were obtained from the dermatology department of the Hospital General ‘Dr. Manuel Gea González’ in Mexico City. For BRAF mutation determination, after DNA isolation, the gene region where the mutation occurs was amplified by PCR. Subsequently, the presence or absence of the V600E mutation was detected by Sanger sequencing performed at the private molecular diagnostic laboratory Vitagénesis in Monterrey, Mexico. RESULTS: Of the 47 patients sampled, 6.4% harbored the V600E mutation. No statistical significance was found between mutations and the type of tumor.