MRF-Logo2019-Horizontal-RGB
Question about BRAF/MEK side effects
REGISTER
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.

Question about BRAF/MEK side effects

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Question about BRAF/MEK side effects

  • Post
    • March 4, 2014 at 12:18 am
    Josh
    Participant

      Hello All,

       

      I'm currently 3 weeks into taking the combination BRAF and MEK inhibitor and over the past 10 days I've gotten a fairlly crazy acne-filled rash on my face. Seriously, my entire face is covered in whiteheads. I don't just look like a middle school student who subsists entirely on fried foods, I look like the one fried-food-eating teenager whose acne is ten times worse than the rest of his fried-food buddies. 

       

      My doctors took me off of the BRAF/MEK drugs temporarily for the past week, and have prescribed two different steroid creams as well as an antibiotic. However, the zits are just spreading and getting worse. My understanding is that this side effect isn't that uncommon, so my question is has anyone here gotten it, and if so, what got rid of it?

       

      Thanks a lot for any help!!!

       

      Josh

    Viewing 2 reply threads
    • Replies
        • March 4, 2014 at 2:30 am
        Mat
        Participant

          Josh, the acne comes and goes in waves.  In my opinion, better to stay on the meds and kill the cancer rather than focusing on the acne.

          • March 4, 2014 at 2:30 am
          Mat
          Participant

            Josh, the acne comes and goes in waves.  In my opinion, better to stay on the meds and kill the cancer rather than focusing on the acne.

              • March 4, 2014 at 3:24 am
              Josh
              Participant

                Hey Mat,

                 

                I agree: cancer seems way scarier than acne, but my doctors have been sort of strangely adament about stopping the drug until the acne (they call it a "rash") is resolved. I think their opinion is that the BRAF/MEK strategy might benefit from starting and then stopping the drug, but, yeah, I'm feeling a bit leery about being off of the drug for so long (it's been over a week).

                 

                So did you have any success treating the acne (steroids, antibiotics, steroid creams)? Another question might be did you even try to treat the acne?

                 

                Thanks again!

                 

                Josh

                • March 4, 2014 at 10:27 am
                Mat
                Participant

                  Josh, no.  I get it intermittently (and at its worst, it is only moderate), but I do not treat it with any medication, OTC or otherwise.  It tends to resolve within a week or so, and then returns a few weeks later.

                  • March 4, 2014 at 5:17 pm
                  Josh
                  Participant

                    Thanks for the response, Mat!

                     

                    Best of luck and health!

                     

                    Josh

                    • March 4, 2014 at 5:17 pm
                    Josh
                    Participant

                      Thanks for the response, Mat!

                       

                      Best of luck and health!

                       

                      Josh

                      • March 4, 2014 at 5:17 pm
                      Josh
                      Participant

                        Thanks for the response, Mat!

                         

                        Best of luck and health!

                         

                        Josh

                        • March 5, 2014 at 2:14 am
                        hannahcopeland1
                        Participant

                          Hey Josh,

                          My face was covered in pimples in my second week. They stuck around for about a week and then went away. I didn't use anything to get rid of them. Other side affects have come back but not the pimples yet. I've been on it for about 6 weeks now. So hopefully yours won't come back. I hope mine don't.

                          good luck 

                          • March 5, 2014 at 2:14 am
                          hannahcopeland1
                          Participant

                            Hey Josh,

                            My face was covered in pimples in my second week. They stuck around for about a week and then went away. I didn't use anything to get rid of them. Other side affects have come back but not the pimples yet. I've been on it for about 6 weeks now. So hopefully yours won't come back. I hope mine don't.

                            good luck 

                            • March 10, 2014 at 12:58 am
                            Josh
                            Participant

                              Thank a lot, Hannah. My face is finally starting to get better after two weeks. I can't tell if it's the many steroid creams I've been using, the two different antibiotics, or the fact that I was off the drugs for 11 days, but in any case, I'm back on the drugs and so far I look sexy again 🙂

                               

                              Best of healthy-skin luck, and, more importantantly, best of luck staying healthy!

                               

                              Josh

                              • March 10, 2014 at 12:58 am
                              Josh
                              Participant

                                Thank a lot, Hannah. My face is finally starting to get better after two weeks. I can't tell if it's the many steroid creams I've been using, the two different antibiotics, or the fact that I was off the drugs for 11 days, but in any case, I'm back on the drugs and so far I look sexy again 🙂

                                 

                                Best of healthy-skin luck, and, more importantantly, best of luck staying healthy!

                                 

                                Josh

                                • March 10, 2014 at 12:58 am
                                Josh
                                Participant

                                  Thank a lot, Hannah. My face is finally starting to get better after two weeks. I can't tell if it's the many steroid creams I've been using, the two different antibiotics, or the fact that I was off the drugs for 11 days, but in any case, I'm back on the drugs and so far I look sexy again 🙂

                                   

                                  Best of healthy-skin luck, and, more importantantly, best of luck staying healthy!

                                   

                                  Josh

                                  • March 5, 2014 at 2:14 am
                                  hannahcopeland1
                                  Participant

                                    Hey Josh,

                                    My face was covered in pimples in my second week. They stuck around for about a week and then went away. I didn't use anything to get rid of them. Other side affects have come back but not the pimples yet. I've been on it for about 6 weeks now. So hopefully yours won't come back. I hope mine don't.

                                    good luck 

                                    • March 4, 2014 at 10:27 am
                                    Mat
                                    Participant

                                      Josh, no.  I get it intermittently (and at its worst, it is only moderate), but I do not treat it with any medication, OTC or otherwise.  It tends to resolve within a week or so, and then returns a few weeks later.

                                      • March 4, 2014 at 10:27 am
                                      Mat
                                      Participant

                                        Josh, no.  I get it intermittently (and at its worst, it is only moderate), but I do not treat it with any medication, OTC or otherwise.  It tends to resolve within a week or so, and then returns a few weeks later.

                                        • March 4, 2014 at 3:24 am
                                        Josh
                                        Participant

                                          Hey Mat,

                                           

                                          I agree: cancer seems way scarier than acne, but my doctors have been sort of strangely adament about stopping the drug until the acne (they call it a "rash") is resolved. I think their opinion is that the BRAF/MEK strategy might benefit from starting and then stopping the drug, but, yeah, I'm feeling a bit leery about being off of the drug for so long (it's been over a week).

                                           

                                          So did you have any success treating the acne (steroids, antibiotics, steroid creams)? Another question might be did you even try to treat the acne?

                                           

                                          Thanks again!

                                           

                                          Josh

                                          • March 4, 2014 at 3:24 am
                                          Josh
                                          Participant

                                            Hey Mat,

                                             

                                            I agree: cancer seems way scarier than acne, but my doctors have been sort of strangely adament about stopping the drug until the acne (they call it a "rash") is resolved. I think their opinion is that the BRAF/MEK strategy might benefit from starting and then stopping the drug, but, yeah, I'm feeling a bit leery about being off of the drug for so long (it's been over a week).

                                             

                                            So did you have any success treating the acne (steroids, antibiotics, steroid creams)? Another question might be did you even try to treat the acne?

                                             

                                            Thanks again!

                                             

                                            Josh

                                          • March 4, 2014 at 2:30 am
                                          Mat
                                          Participant

                                            Josh, the acne comes and goes in waves.  In my opinion, better to stay on the meds and kill the cancer rather than focusing on the acne.

                                        Viewing 2 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.