A phase II trial comparing dual MAPK pathway inhibition by combining BRAF and MEK inhibitors with BRAF inhibition alone showed increased progression-free survival and reduced incidence of secondary malignancies in patients with mutant BRAF V600 melanoma. This trial provides strong support for developing combinations hitting the same pathway in melanoma.
Key Points
A new clinical trial testing the combination of a BRAF inhibitor (dabrafenib) with a MEK inhibitor (trametinib) showed improved progression-free survival and decreased toxicity in patients with BRAF mutant melanoma compared with dabrafenib alone, highlighting the potential importance of hitting the same molecular pathway at two different levels as a strategy for improving targeted therapy of melanoma and, ultimately, other forms of cancer.
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Smalley, K., Sondak, V. Targeted therapy for melanoma: is double hitting a home run?. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 10, 5–6 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrclinonc.2012.215
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrclinonc.2012.215
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