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BRAF testing: what it means for you

Waiting on test results can feel like one more hard thing, for you and the people who love you. Here's what the BRAF test looks for and how it can help your care team pick the treatment most likely to work for you.

ℹ️ General information to help you and your loved ones talk with your care team, not medical advice. Read our disclaimer.

Matters most in: Lung cancer, Colorectal cancer

The quick guide

What the test looks for: Mutations in the BRAF gene, especially V600E. Common in melanoma and found in a small share of lung and colorectal cancers.

Why it matters

BRAF V600E can be targeted with a combination of a BRAF blocker and another pathway blocker. In colorectal cancer it also tends to mean a more aggressive cancer, so treatment plans account for it.

Treatments it can point to

Only your care team can say which treatment fits you. Drug approvals depend on cancer type, stage and prior treatment.

Tissue vs. blood testing

Tissue or blood.

Most tests use a piece of tumor tissue from a biopsy or surgery. Some can also use a blood sample (a 'liquid biopsy') that looks for tumor DNA floating in the blood. Blood tests are easier and faster, but they can miss a change that a tissue test would find, so a negative blood test is often followed by a tissue test.

❓ Questions you and your loved ones can ask

Written by the Cancer Side Effects Guide team from FDA labels and leading cancer centers. Not medical advice. · Last updated: October 15, 2026 · How we write

Not medical advice. This page is general information to help you talk with your care team. It can't replace advice from your doctor or nurse. If you have a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher during treatment, or any symptom that worries you, call your care team now. In an emergency, call 911.

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