Clinical, environmental, and histological distribution of BRAF, NRAS and TERT promoter mutations among cutaneous melanoma patients. A retrospective study of 563 patients
Source: MDLinx, June 2020
Given that distinct somatic mutations that define clinical and histopathological heterogeneity in cutaneous melanoma may depend on host susceptibility to exogenous factors such as ultraviolet radiation, researchers conducted a retrospective study on 563 patients with melanoma by examining somatic mutations in BRAF, NRAS and TERT promoter. They found TERT promoter mutations co-occurring with BRAF and NRAS mutations in 26.3% and 6.9% melanomas, respectively. Co?occurrence of NRAS and TERT promoter mutations was independently linked to an increased tumor mitotic rate. The presence of TERT promoter mutations discriminates against mutated BRAF and NRAS tumors and suggests a higher involvement of ultraviolet induce damage and tumors with worse melanoma?specific survival than those with no mutations.
