Dr. Georgina Long on Dabrafenib and Trametinib in BRAF-Mutated Melanoma

Georgina Long, BSc, PhD, MBBS, FRACP, medical oncologist, translational researcher, Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, discusses which patients may benefit from the combination of dabrafenib and trametinib based on several recent clinical trials.

The FDA just granted a full approval of dabrafenib and trametinib for patients with unresectable or metastatic BRAF-mutated melanoma.

Lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) drives which patients will benefit from the combination of dabrafenib and trametinib, says Long. The number of disease sites a patient has is also relevant, says Long. Out of the 617 patients that received this combiantion, about one-third had normal LDH at baseline and less than three disease sites. These patients had a three-year survival of about 70%, says Long.

Another interesting observation was that different patients progressed on the combination at different rates, says Long. Those who tend to progress quickly tend to develop new brain metastasis or growth in new and existing sites.

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