The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Content within the patient forum is user-generated and has not been reviewed by medical professionals. Other sections of the Melanoma Research Foundation website include information that has been reviewed by medical professionals as appropriate. All medical decisions should be made in consultation with your doctor or other qualified medical professional.

Negative “side effects” of the BRAF/MEK combo

Forums General Melanoma Community Negative “side effects” of the BRAF/MEK combo

  • Post
    rick1981
    Participant

      (I'm not basing the combo with my last two topics, these just are new releases that are hopefully helping others)

      New research on the combo:

      http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-01/hlmc-mrd011215.php

      Moffitt Cancer Center researchers have discovered a mechanism that leads to resistance to targeted therapy in melanoma patients and are investigating strategies to counteract it. Targeted biological therapy can reduce toxicity and improve outcomes for many cancer patients, when compared to the adverse effects of standard chemotherapeutic drugs. However, patients often develop resistance to these targeted therapies, resulting in more aggressive cells that can spread to other sites or cause regrowth of primary tumors.

      Moffitt researchers found that patients who are on B-Raf inhibitor drugs develop more new metastases than patients who are on standard chemotherapy.

      They found that melanoma cells that are resistant to B-Raf inhibitors tend to be more aggressive and invasive, thereby allowing the tumor to spread to a new organ site.

      My wife has had a good benefit from the combo when she urgently needed them to work. However, she came out of the treatment (when resistance occured) with new and aggressively spreading mets – so although N=1, this does sound familiar and makes me regret in hindsight that we didn't move to immonutherapie before resistance occured.

    Viewing 8 reply threads
    • Replies
        Mat
        Participant

          Rick, thanks for posting.  This is useful info for those of us on the combo and I've already followed-up with my onc about it.  This seems to validate movement towards intermittent dosing, which I know some folks (Rudy/Gina) already do.

          Mat
          Participant

            Rick, thanks for posting.  This is useful info for those of us on the combo and I've already followed-up with my onc about it.  This seems to validate movement towards intermittent dosing, which I know some folks (Rudy/Gina) already do.

            Mat
            Participant

              Rick, thanks for posting.  This is useful info for those of us on the combo and I've already followed-up with my onc about it.  This seems to validate movement towards intermittent dosing, which I know some folks (Rudy/Gina) already do.

              Mat
              Participant

                As follow-up, MIF is reporting that their scientific board thinks that the article may be misleading in that it suggests (for patients otherwise getting good results) moving into intermittent dosing.  The significance of the underlying study on which the article is based is that researchers may be on the path to finding the cause of resistance.

                Mat
                Participant

                  As follow-up, MIF is reporting that their scientific board thinks that the article may be misleading in that it suggests (for patients otherwise getting good results) moving into intermittent dosing.  The significance of the underlying study on which the article is based is that researchers may be on the path to finding the cause of resistance.

                  Mat
                  Participant

                    As follow-up, MIF is reporting that their scientific board thinks that the article may be misleading in that it suggests (for patients otherwise getting good results) moving into intermittent dosing.  The significance of the underlying study on which the article is based is that researchers may be on the path to finding the cause of resistance.

                Viewing 8 reply threads
                • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
                About the MRF Patient Forum

                The MRF Patient Forum is the oldest and largest online community of people affected by melanoma. It is designed to provide peer support and information to caregivers, patients, family and friends. There is no better place to discuss different parts of your journey with this cancer and find the friends and support resources to make that journey more bearable.

                The information on the forum is open and accessible to everyone. To add a new topic or to post a reply, you must be a registered user. Please note that you will be able to post both topics and replies anonymously even though you are logged in. All posts must abide by MRF posting policies.

                Popular Topics