Association Between BRAF Mutation Status and Clinicopathological Features in Melanoma Patients in Kosova

Background/Objective: Melanoma is an aggressive skin malignancy characterized by significant molecular heterogeneity. Among the molecular alterations identified in melanoma, BRAF mutations represent one of the most common genetic abnormalities and play an important role in activating the MAPK signaling pathway. BRAF mutation status has become clinically important because of its prognostic significance and implications for targeted therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of BRAF mutations and their associations with demographic, histopathological, and clinicopathological characteristics in melanoma patients at the only referral center for BRAF testing in Kosova, the Institute of Pathology, University Clinical Center of Kosova (UCCK). Methods: This retrospective study included 127 melanoma patients. Descriptive statistics, frequency analysis, Spearman’s correlation and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate associations between BRAF mutation status and clinicopathological variables, including age, gender, Breslow thickness, histological type, ulceration, and anatomical localization. Results: BRAF mutation was identified in 76 of 127 melanoma patients (59.8%). The BRAF V600E/V600E2/V600D variants represented the predominant molecular subtype (75%). BRAF-positive melanoma was more frequently observed in younger patients and was significantly associated with increased Breslow thickness, nodular melanoma, ulceration, and trunk localization. Conclusions: BRAF mutations were highly prevalent in melanoma patients from Kosova and were associated with clinicopathological features of a more aggressive disease. The findings establish an important baseline for molecular epidemiology in the country and support the integration of routine BRAF testing into personalized melanoma management and future regional research.