BRAF and cancer: In the past decade, a better understanding of cancer biology and the identification of somatic mutations in cancer have led to a new era in personalized oncology.[1] Landmark examples included the discovery of mutations in the proto-oncogenes c-KIT in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST),[2] epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in lung adenocarcinomas,[3] and v-Raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (BRAF) in melanomas.[4] Tumors harboring these mutations demonstrate outstanding sensitivity to specific kinase inhibitors directed against the respective activated pathways.