An analysis focussing on melanoma patients was performed in the light of evidence supporting a role for increased signalling through RAF/MEK/ERK in the onset and progression of melanoma (Davies et al, 2002; Chang et al, 2004; Garnett and Marais, 2004), and the prevalence of oncogenic V600E BRAF mutations in melanoma biopsies (Brose et al, 2002). The gene discussed is MAP2K7; the disease is melanoma.