What is a BRAF test?

What is a BRAF test?

What is a BRAF genetic test? A BRAF genetic test looks for a change, known as a mutation, in a gene called BRAF. Genes are the basic units of heredity passed down from your mother and father. The BRAF gene makes a protein that helps control cell growth.

What does BRAF stand for cancer?

BRAF is a human gene that encodes a protein called B-Raf. The gene is also referred to as proto-oncogene B-Raf and v-Raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B, while the protein is more formally known as serine/threonine-protein kinase B-Raf.

What can the doctor do is a BRAF mutation is found?

The presence of a BRAF mutation gives your doctors clues about: Best medicines to target the cancer cells. How fast the tumor might grow and how large it might get.

What does BRAF positive mean?

“BRAF positive” means that your tumor has a mutation in the BRAF gene. This gene controls a protein that stimulates cell growth. When there’s a mutation, it causes the continuous production of this protein, which can lead to unchecked cell growth or cancer.

Is BRAF positive good?

Getting a positive test for the BRAF V600 tumor mutation is certainly good news for a newly diagnosed melanoma patient. This is because some targeted drugs work very well against such tumors, which account for about 50% of melanomas.

What does a mutation of RAS do?

The main members of the RAS gene family— KRAS, HRAS, and NRAS—encode proteins that have a pivotal cytoplasmic role in cell signaling. When RAS genes are mutated, cells grow uncontrollably and evade death signals. RAS mutations also make cells resistant to some available cancer therapies.

What does RAS do in the body?

Ras proteins function as binary molecular switches that control intracellular signaling networks. Ras-regulated signal pathways control such processes as actin cytoskeletal integrity, cell proliferation, cell differentiation, cell adhesion, apoptosis, and cell migration.

What does Ras do in the body?

RAS proteins are important for normal development. Active RAS drives the growth, proliferation, and migration of cells. In normal cells RAS receives signals and obeys those signals to rapidly switch between the active (GTP) form and the inactive (GDP form) states.

What is RAS in the brain?

The reticular activating system (RAS) is a network of neurons located in the brain stem that project anteriorly to the hypothalamus to mediate behavior, as well as both posteriorly to the thalamus and directly to the cortex for activation of awake, desynchronized cortical EEG patterns.