Background: B-Raf proto-oncogene serine/threonine-protein kinase (BRAF) is a member of the raf/mil family of serine/threonine kinases. BRAF is involved in transducing mitogenic signals via the MAP kinase/ERKs signaling pathway. Mutations in BRAF are involved in a wide range of cancers such as lung, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and colorectal cancer. Defects in BRAF are also the cause of cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome (CFC), an autosomal dominant syndrome characterized by facial anomalies, heart defects, and ectodermal abnormalities.