Malignant Melanoma with Concurrent BRAF E586K and NRAS Q81K Mutations

Abstract

Cutaneous melanoma is an aggressive malignant tumor of melanocytes which accounts for 80% of skin cancer-related deaths. A number of driver mutations have been identified in melanoma, with the mutually exclusive BRAF V600E and NRAS Q61A mutations together accounting for roughly 70% of mutations. Simultaneous BRAF V600E and NRAS Q61A mutations in melanoma are rare, with evidence suggesting that up to 2.9% (2/69) of primary cutaneous melanomas carry both mutations. Here we describe a 42-year-old man with concurrent BRAF E586K and NRAS Q81K driver mutations. To our knowledge, this is the first description of these driver mutations occurring simultaneously in primary cutaneous melanoma.

Keywords

• Cutaneous melanoma
• Concurrent BRAF E586K and NRAS Q81K mutations
• Skin cancer