My BRAF/MEK Status Report
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My BRAF/MEK Status Report

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › My BRAF/MEK Status Report

  • Post
    • October 28, 2011 at 6:42 am
    Harry in Fair Oaks
    Participant

    I'm well into the 6th month of the GSK BRAF/MEK study, taking the highest dosages of the 2 drug combo.  I'm happy to report that, as of the scans I had on Monday, all mets have either shrunk to sub-clinical size (i.e. cannot be imaged by MRI or CT) or (in the case of a couple of bone mets) seem stable.  The bone mets may actually be non-viable, but the damage they previously caused will probably always show on the scans.

    I'm well into the 6th month of the GSK BRAF/MEK study, taking the highest dosages of the 2 drug combo.  I'm happy to report that, as of the scans I had on Monday, all mets have either shrunk to sub-clinical size (i.e. cannot be imaged by MRI or CT) or (in the case of a couple of bone mets) seem stable.  The bone mets may actually be non-viable, but the damage they previously caused will probably always show on the scans.

    Very few side effects to report – most went away after the 1st few weeks.  Apparently the BRAF/MEK combo results in fewer patient complaints than the BRAF alone.  And according to staff at the Angeles Clinic, so far they have not seen the dreaded acquired resistance to the combo inhibitors (that has been a problem with BRAF alone).

    Best wishes,

    Harry

Viewing 23 reply threads
  • Replies
      • October 28, 2011 at 9:19 am
      lhaley
      Participant

      Sounds like a great report!!!!     Have you heard if there is any discussion on a compassionate trial with these combo drugs?  

      Keep on staying healthy

      Linda

      • October 28, 2011 at 9:19 am
      lhaley
      Participant

      Sounds like a great report!!!!     Have you heard if there is any discussion on a compassionate trial with these combo drugs?  

      Keep on staying healthy

      Linda

      • October 28, 2011 at 9:19 am
      lhaley
      Participant

      Sounds like a great report!!!!     Have you heard if there is any discussion on a compassionate trial with these combo drugs?  

      Keep on staying healthy

      Linda

      • October 28, 2011 at 9:47 am
      AlisonC
      Participant
      wow Harry ! I’m a recent returnee to the mpip (prompted by a good friend’s progression to stage IV) so your story is new to me….but wow! That’s really kicking Mel where it hurts! go you 🙂

      Fingers crossed that you have a durable and lasting response. Your profile seems to suggest that your immune system has a good idea of how to keep it in check, so I really hope that this trial sees the back of Mel for another…oh, let’s say 50 years or so ?

      🙂

      AlisonC
      Stage IIIB
      NED since 2001

      • October 28, 2011 at 9:47 am
      AlisonC
      Participant
      wow Harry ! I’m a recent returnee to the mpip (prompted by a good friend’s progression to stage IV) so your story is new to me….but wow! That’s really kicking Mel where it hurts! go you 🙂

      Fingers crossed that you have a durable and lasting response. Your profile seems to suggest that your immune system has a good idea of how to keep it in check, so I really hope that this trial sees the back of Mel for another…oh, let’s say 50 years or so ?

      🙂

      AlisonC
      Stage IIIB
      NED since 2001

      • October 28, 2011 at 9:47 am
      AlisonC
      Participant
      wow Harry ! I’m a recent returnee to the mpip (prompted by a good friend’s progression to stage IV) so your story is new to me….but wow! That’s really kicking Mel where it hurts! go you 🙂

      Fingers crossed that you have a durable and lasting response. Your profile seems to suggest that your immune system has a good idea of how to keep it in check, so I really hope that this trial sees the back of Mel for another…oh, let’s say 50 years or so ?

      🙂

      AlisonC
      Stage IIIB
      NED since 2001

      • October 28, 2011 at 11:01 am
      jim Breitfeller
      Participant

      Harry,

      Congrats!!!!

       

      Is there a maintenance protocol on  your trial? The trick is to kill every last melanoma cell in your body. A maintenance regime may just be what you might need.

       

      Wishing you all the best

       

      Jimmy B

      • October 28, 2011 at 11:01 am
      jim Breitfeller
      Participant

      Harry,

      Congrats!!!!

       

      Is there a maintenance protocol on  your trial? The trick is to kill every last melanoma cell in your body. A maintenance regime may just be what you might need.

       

      Wishing you all the best

       

      Jimmy B

      • October 28, 2011 at 11:01 am
      jim Breitfeller
      Participant

      Harry,

      Congrats!!!!

       

      Is there a maintenance protocol on  your trial? The trick is to kill every last melanoma cell in your body. A maintenance regime may just be what you might need.

       

      Wishing you all the best

       

      Jimmy B

      • October 28, 2011 at 12:04 pm
      Richard_K
      Participant
      Great report! Love your hobby.
      Dick
      • October 28, 2011 at 12:04 pm
      Richard_K
      Participant
      Great report! Love your hobby.
      Dick
      • October 28, 2011 at 12:04 pm
      Richard_K
      Participant
      Great report! Love your hobby.
      Dick
      • October 28, 2011 at 3:48 pm
      kylez
      Participant

      Awesome news for you Harry! It's so great to hear about good responses to a new treatment option.

      SF Chronicle has an article out this morning about UCSF's participation in this trial, with quotes from GSK's director of oncology research, and from a patient with a response that sounds similar to yours.

      It feels like "they're" chipping away a little bit more, unraveling one more piece of the huge puzzle. It's very cool when you are part of that new piece 🙂

      • October 28, 2011 at 3:48 pm
      kylez
      Participant

      Awesome news for you Harry! It's so great to hear about good responses to a new treatment option.

      SF Chronicle has an article out this morning about UCSF's participation in this trial, with quotes from GSK's director of oncology research, and from a patient with a response that sounds similar to yours.

      It feels like "they're" chipping away a little bit more, unraveling one more piece of the huge puzzle. It's very cool when you are part of that new piece 🙂

      • October 28, 2011 at 3:48 pm
      kylez
      Participant

      Awesome news for you Harry! It's so great to hear about good responses to a new treatment option.

      SF Chronicle has an article out this morning about UCSF's participation in this trial, with quotes from GSK's director of oncology research, and from a patient with a response that sounds similar to yours.

      It feels like "they're" chipping away a little bit more, unraveling one more piece of the huge puzzle. It's very cool when you are part of that new piece 🙂

      • October 28, 2011 at 4:09 pm
      mombase
      Participant

      Congartulations, Harry! Hopefully this combo is the next on the horizon for apporval (or close to it!). It must make trios to SoCal very much worth it!

      Cristy, Stage IV

      • October 28, 2011 at 4:09 pm
      mombase
      Participant

      Congartulations, Harry! Hopefully this combo is the next on the horizon for apporval (or close to it!). It must make trios to SoCal very much worth it!

      Cristy, Stage IV

      • October 28, 2011 at 4:09 pm
      mombase
      Participant

      Congartulations, Harry! Hopefully this combo is the next on the horizon for apporval (or close to it!). It must make trios to SoCal very much worth it!

      Cristy, Stage IV

      • October 28, 2011 at 6:33 pm
      washoegal
      Participant

      Thanks for the update.  So encouraging to hear good news. 

      Mary

      Stage 3

      • October 28, 2011 at 6:33 pm
      washoegal
      Participant

      Thanks for the update.  So encouraging to hear good news. 

      Mary

      Stage 3

      • October 28, 2011 at 6:33 pm
      washoegal
      Participant

      Thanks for the update.  So encouraging to hear good news. 

      Mary

      Stage 3

      • October 28, 2011 at 7:09 pm
      jag
      Participant

      Great news Harry, and stay ugly.

      • October 28, 2011 at 7:09 pm
      jag
      Participant

      Great news Harry, and stay ugly.

      • October 28, 2011 at 7:09 pm
      jag
      Participant

      Great news Harry, and stay ugly.

Viewing 23 reply threads
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