Melanoma BRAF Awareness Day is a new disease awareness day, developed in collaboration between Melanoma UK and Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Ltd, that will take place on 26th May 2022, as part of Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month.

This new day aims to:

• Raise awareness and understanding of BRAF status: what it is, how you test for it and what it means for a patient’s diagnosis
• Support conversations between people with melanoma and their doctor
• Give people diagnosed with melanoma the confidence they need when talking to their healthcare team
• Empower patients with information to support them as an informed participant in their care pathway

Join the conversation on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & LinkedIn) and use the campaign hashtags

• #MelanomaAwarenessMonth
• #Melanoma
• #SkinCancer
• #MelanomaBRAFAwarenessDay

BRAF Awareness Day and its associated activities and materials have been developed in collaboration between Melanoma UK and Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Ltd.

Why is Melanoma BRAF Awareness day important?

Being diagnosed with skin cancer can be extremely worrying, a time of uncertainty and feeling overwhelmed. For many, little is known about the different types of skin cancer and the ways it can be treated.

Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer and the fifth most common cancer in the UK, with over 40 cases diagnosed every day.¹ If detected early melanoma is almost always treatable.

Melanoma is a complex disease and multiple gene alterations have been found to play a role in its progression.

The three most common gene mutations in melanoma are BRAF, NRAS and c-KIT.² Of these, the BRAF mutation is most common: around 40-50% of melanoma patients have it.^3,4

There are treatments available that specifically target this type of mutation and a test to determine your BRAF status will be carried out when you are diagnosed. You should be told the result to help decide the best form of treatment.

How can I get involved in Melanoma BRAF Awareness Day? 

• Join the conversation on social media by following Melanoma UK and using the campaign hashtags #MelanomaBRAFAwarenessDay
• Get to know your BRAF status - ask the question.

For more information:

Contact Diane Cannon, Melanoma UK: [email protected]

Further information on melanoma and BRAF click here: Lets get under the skin of it

References

1. Cancer Research UK. Skin cancer incidence. Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancerstatistics/statistics-bycancer-type/melanoma-skincancer#heading-Zero. Last accessed May 2021.
2. Ponti G, Menfredini M et al. BRAF, NRAS and C-KIT Advanced Melanoma: Clinico-pathological Features, Targeted-Therapy Strategies and Survival. Anticancer Research. 2017;37(12):7043-7048
3. PA Ascierto, JM Kirkwood, J-J Grob et al. The role of BRAF V600 mutation in melanoma. J Transl Med 012;10:65
4. Cheng, L, et al. Molecular testing for BRAF mutations to inform melanoma treatment decisions: a move toward precision medicine. Mod Pathol 2018; 31:24–38. Last accessed May 2021