Melanoma treatment has progressed dramatically in the past decade. For patients with BRAF V600–mutated disease, immunotherapy and targeted therapy present different but effective treatment options.
Prior Treatment Approvals
BRAF is a potent oncogene that plays a critical role in the MAPK pathway. Constitutive activation of this pathway may lead to cancer cell growth and proliferation. Approximately 50% of melanoma cases contain activating mutations in BRAF, with a majority (90%) occurring at the V600 location.1
There are currently 3 approved BRAF/MEK inhibitor (BRAF/MEKi) combinations: encorafenib (Braftovi; Pfizer) and binimetinib (Mektovi; Pfizer), dabrafenib (Tafinlar; Novartis) and trametinib (Mekinist; Novartis), and vemurafenib (Zelboraf; Genentech) and cobimetinib (Cotellic; Genentech). All 3 combinations have shown improved progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and objective response rates compared with BRAF inhibitor alone in BRAF-mutated metastatic melanoma.2-5 In 2018, the combination of encorafenib plus binimetinib was approved by the FDA based on findings from the COLUMBUS trial (NCT01909453), which showed a median PFS of 14.9 months compared with 7.3 months with binimetinib alone.2 Likewise, results from the COMBI-v (NCT01597908) and COMBI-d (NCT01584648) studies showed statistically significant improvements in PFS and OS with combination dabrafenib and trametinib compared with BRAF inhibitor monotherapy.4,5
On the other end of the treatment...
Petrojam is strongly dismissing as false a message circulating via WhatsApp and social media platforms warning of a fuel shortage. "The claim is false and unfounded," the state-owned oil refinery...