Combined treatment with BRAF and MEK inhibitors in metastatic melanomas with BRAF mutations

Rodabe N. Amaria, MD from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX gives an overview on the benefits of combined treatment with BRAF and MEK inhibitors for metastatic melanoma at the European Cancer Congress of the European Cancer Organisation (ECCO) 2017 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. She discusses the benefits of targeted therapy for melanoma with BRAF mutations using a combination of BRAF and MEK inhibitors, which are FDA-approved for Stage IV metastatic melanoma. Treatment with a single agent has a limited efficacy of 6-7 months before disease recurrence, as well as being less well tolerated. However, Dr Amaria explains how combining BRAF and MEK inhibitors both increases their efficacy to 10-11 months before disease recurrence, as well as increasing tolerability. She recommends that in the absence of significant contraindications or co-existing medical conditions, a combination of BRAF and MEK inhibitors should be used.