B-RAF
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B-RAF

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › B-RAF

  • Post
    • November 13, 2013 at 12:45 am
    nancyg
    Participant

    Hi

    I know my husband's melanoma does not have the Braf mutation…. So what does that mean for him and his prognosis?? I have read on here that people with Braf can have certain treatments that would not work on non braf melanoma….does the Braf mutation make the Melanoma more  aggressive or does  it really have no bearing on outcomes??  Does having the Braf mutation  cause the melanoma to spread faster??

    All of this info is hard to digest.. I would appreciate any input

    Thank you very much,

    Nancy

     

Viewing 2 reply threads
  • Replies
      • November 13, 2013 at 1:13 am
      POW
      Participant

      I am not aware of any difference between BRAF-mutated and non-mutated melanoma in terms of aggressiveness or prognosis. Yes, if you have the right BRAF mutation a BRAF inhibitor may work quickly to suppress the tumors. But unfortunately, most people eventually become resistant to the inhibitors so the help is only temporary. Most patients and doctors prefer to get an immune-based treatment like Yervoy or anti-PD1. Those take longer to have an effect, but the effects last for many months or years. 

        • November 13, 2013 at 4:54 am
        JerryfromFauq
        Participant

        PD-1 would be the quickest treatment to try to get a response from.  If no favorablle response is obtained, IL-2 would generally be the next quickest to find out if it works.  If it works, it may provide a long term cure.  The third Immunology treatment would be Ipi (Yervoy), which takes longer to tell if one is getting a favorable response to it.  Some people have responses to it with minimal side-effects.  Some of the Yervoy side effects can be for a lifetime.  It currently seems that it may, in some cases also provide a lifetime cure (Still a new treatment.)

        • November 13, 2013 at 4:54 am
        JerryfromFauq
        Participant

        PD-1 would be the quickest treatment to try to get a response from.  If no favorablle response is obtained, IL-2 would generally be the next quickest to find out if it works.  If it works, it may provide a long term cure.  The third Immunology treatment would be Ipi (Yervoy), which takes longer to tell if one is getting a favorable response to it.  Some people have responses to it with minimal side-effects.  Some of the Yervoy side effects can be for a lifetime.  It currently seems that it may, in some cases also provide a lifetime cure (Still a new treatment.)

        • November 13, 2013 at 2:51 pm
        Cooper
        Participant

        Yervoy has a higher response rate than IL2 (15-20% vs. less than 6% for IL2)  Braf positive has been shown to be more aggressive than negative. Yervoy side effects aren't bad at all, I've had a wonderful response for 2 years now.  IL2 however has to be given in the hospital because of toxic effects and can have long term effects on liver, kidneys, etc.  It is old drug.

        • November 13, 2013 at 2:51 pm
        Cooper
        Participant

        Yervoy has a higher response rate than IL2 (15-20% vs. less than 6% for IL2)  Braf positive has been shown to be more aggressive than negative. Yervoy side effects aren't bad at all, I've had a wonderful response for 2 years now.  IL2 however has to be given in the hospital because of toxic effects and can have long term effects on liver, kidneys, etc.  It is old drug.

        • November 13, 2013 at 2:51 pm
        Cooper
        Participant

        Yervoy has a higher response rate than IL2 (15-20% vs. less than 6% for IL2)  Braf positive has been shown to be more aggressive than negative. Yervoy side effects aren't bad at all, I've had a wonderful response for 2 years now.  IL2 however has to be given in the hospital because of toxic effects and can have long term effects on liver, kidneys, etc.  It is old drug.

        • November 13, 2013 at 4:54 am
        JerryfromFauq
        Participant

        PD-1 would be the quickest treatment to try to get a response from.  If no favorablle response is obtained, IL-2 would generally be the next quickest to find out if it works.  If it works, it may provide a long term cure.  The third Immunology treatment would be Ipi (Yervoy), which takes longer to tell if one is getting a favorable response to it.  Some people have responses to it with minimal side-effects.  Some of the Yervoy side effects can be for a lifetime.  It currently seems that it may, in some cases also provide a lifetime cure (Still a new treatment.)

      • November 13, 2013 at 1:13 am
      POW
      Participant

      I am not aware of any difference between BRAF-mutated and non-mutated melanoma in terms of aggressiveness or prognosis. Yes, if you have the right BRAF mutation a BRAF inhibitor may work quickly to suppress the tumors. But unfortunately, most people eventually become resistant to the inhibitors so the help is only temporary. Most patients and doctors prefer to get an immune-based treatment like Yervoy or anti-PD1. Those take longer to have an effect, but the effects last for many months or years. 

      • November 13, 2013 at 1:13 am
      POW
      Participant

      I am not aware of any difference between BRAF-mutated and non-mutated melanoma in terms of aggressiveness or prognosis. Yes, if you have the right BRAF mutation a BRAF inhibitor may work quickly to suppress the tumors. But unfortunately, most people eventually become resistant to the inhibitors so the help is only temporary. Most patients and doctors prefer to get an immune-based treatment like Yervoy or anti-PD1. Those take longer to have an effect, but the effects last for many months or years. 

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