BRAF testing techniques in the management of patients with advanced malignant melanoma: a real world comparative study

Malignant melanoma (MM) is one of the deadliest skin cancers. BRAF mutation testing plays a predominant role in the management of MM patients, because modern targeted therapies essentially consist of inhibitors of BRAF. BRAF V600 mutation must be detected using a FDA approved (USA) or CE IVD certified (Europe) test. The aim of this study was to compare BRAF mutational testing performed by conventional nucleotide sequencing approaches with either real time PCR rtPCR ) or next generation sequencing (NGS) assays in a real life, hospital based series of advanced MM patients.