Combined BRAF and MEK Inhibition Offers Survival Benefit in Melanoma

Source: Oncology Learning Network, October 2019

A meta-analysis of 7 studies showed that combined BRAF and MEK inhibition improved survival outcomes in patients with metastatic melanoma, despite gastrointestinal toxicities (Cancer Med. 2019 Aug 8. Epub ahead of print).

“Melanoma is a potentially fatal malignancy with poor prognosis. Several recent studies have demonstrated that combination therapy of BRAF and MEK inhibition achieved better curative effect and appeared less toxic effects,” explained Qingliang Yu, MD, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China, and co-investigators, who compared the efficacy and safety of combining BRAF and MEK inhibition with BRAF inhibition monotherapy in melanoma.

Dr Yu and colleagues searched PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library from June 2010 and January 2019. In total, 7 randomized controlled trials involving 3146 patients with metastatic melanoma who were diagnosed with BRAF v600E or BRAF V600K mutations, were included in the analysis.