Alterations of <i>BRAF</i> and <i>HIPK2</i> loci predominate in sporadic pilocytic astrocytoma

Abstract

BRAF rearrangement represents the most common genetic alteration in sporadic, but not neurofibromatosis type 1-associated, pilocytic astrocytomas (PAs). These findings implicate BRAF in the pathogenesis of these common low-grade astrocytomas in children, and suggest that PAs arise either from NF1 inactivation or BRAF gain of function.