Home » Story : How to Avoid Melanoma Recurrence Following Drug Treatment

How to Avoid Melanoma Recurrence Following Drug Treatment

Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, a recent study from The Institute of Cancer Research has demonstrated how to prevent the formation of new cancers when malignant melanoma patients receive treatment with drugs known as BRAF inhibitors.

Previously, doctors have noticed that between 15 and 30% of patients who received treatment with BRAF inhibitors developed another type of skin cancer known as cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, which required surgical removal.

Co-senior author, Professor Richard Marais and his team examined squamous cell carcinoma tissue, which had been retrieved from 21 malignant melanoma patients who were treated with vemurafenib in a clinical trial. The researchers did testing on the tumor DNA to determine if there were known cancer-causing mutations and discovered that 60% of the samples had either KRAS or HRAS mutations.

Further testing revealed that the BRAF inhibitors do not directly trigger squamous cell carcinomas, but boost the growth of existing cancerous changes to the skin that were not yet exhibiting symptoms. The researchers also observed in mice that another type of drug, a MEK inhibitor, was capable of inhibiting the growth of these second tumors even in the presence of these BRAF drugs.

Marais explains the findings: "Around half of all patients with malignant melanoma have a mutation in their BRAF gene, and can be treated with BRAF-inhibiting drugs. However, between 15 and 30 per cent of the treated patients develop other skin tumors. By determining the mechanism by which these develop, we have been able to devise a strategy to prevent the second tumors without blocking the beneficial effects of the BRAF drugs. This may allow many more patients to benefit from these important drugs."

Cancer Research UK's senior science information manager, Dr Julie Sharp, concludes: "This research reveals a possible new approach to avoid the second cancers that affect some malignant melanoma patients taking BRAF inhibitors. The next stage will be to explore these results in more patients in clinical trials to see if this drug combination could treat the original cancer while preventing new cancers from forming."

Disclaimer

Related Stories

Featured Doctors

Medical Oncologist Westchester NY

Dr. Tauseef Ahmed, M.D.
Tauseef Ahmed, M.D.

Westchester Oncology & Hematology
19 Bradhurst Avenue
Hawthorne, NY 10532

Call: 888-370-4284

Colon Cancer Westchester, New York

Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Lymph Cancer Westchester, NY

Dr. Tauseef Ahmed, M.D.
Tauseef Ahmed, M.D.

Westchester Oncology & Hematology
19 Bradhurst Avenue
Hawthorne, NY 10532

Call: 888-370-4284

Oncologist Westchester, NY

Dr. Delong Liu, M.D., Ph.D.
Delong Liu, M.D., Ph.D.

Westchester Oncology & Hematology
19 Bradhurst Avenue
Hawthorne, NY 10532

Call: 888-370-4284

Texas Gastroenterology Specialists

The Texas Colonoscopy Centers
The Texas Colonoscopy Centers

The MicroSurgery Institute

,

Call: 888-493-1243

Tulsa, Oklahoma Cancer Treatment Center

Cancer Hospital in OK
Cancer Hospital in OK

Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa, Oklahoma
10109 E. 79th Street (81st Street & Highway 169)
Tulsa, OK 74133

Call: 800-655-1253

Oncology/ Oncologist Hawthorne, NY

Dr. Asim Aijaz, M.D.
Asim Aijaz, M.D.

Westchester Oncology & Hematology
19 Bradhurst Avenue
Hawthorne, NY 10532

Call: 888-370-4284

Oncologist Bronx, NY

Eastchester Center for Cancer Care
Eastchester Center for Cancer Care

Eastchester Center for Cancer Care
2330 Eastchester Road
Bronx, NY 10469

Call: (888) 860-7136

Mammogram Center - Mammography Center Westchester, NY

Radiology & Diagnostic Imaging | Women's Imaging Center
Radiology & Diagnostic Imaging | Women's Imaging Center

Lawrence Hospital Center | Outpatient Services
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: (888) 544-1169

Colon Cancer Westchester, New York

Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Breast Cancer Surgery Westchester, New York

The Columbia University Comprehensive Breast Center at Lawrence Hospital
The Columbia University Comprehensive Breast Center at Lawrence Hospital

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Breast Cancer Westchester, NY

Dr. Tauseef Ahmed, M.D.
Tauseef Ahmed, M.D.

Westchester Oncology & Hematology
19 Bradhurst Avenue
Hawthorne, NY 10532

Call: 888-370-4284

Goodyear, Arizona Cancer Treatment Center

Cancer Hospital Near Phoenix
Cancer Hospital Near Phoenix

Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Goodyear, Arizona
14200 W. Fillmore Street
Goodyear, AZ 85338

Call: 800-434-4215

Newnan, Georgia Cancer Treatment Center

Cancer Hospital Near Atlanta
Cancer Hospital Near Atlanta

Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Newnan, Georgia
600 Parkway North
Newnan, GA 30265

Call: 800-641-2674

Mammogram Center - Mammography Center Westchester, NY

Radiology & Diagnostic Imaging | Women's Imaging Center
Radiology & Diagnostic Imaging | Women's Imaging Center

Lawrence Hospital Center | Outpatient Services
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: (888) 544-1169

Cancer Treatment Centers of America Locations

Cancer Treatment Centers of America

,

Call: 888-417-1667

Mammogram Center - Mammography Center Westchester, NY

Radiology & Diagnostic Imaging | Women's Imaging Center
Radiology & Diagnostic Imaging | Women's Imaging Center

Lawrence Hospital Center | Outpatient Services
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: (888) 544-1169

Ovarian Cancer Westchester, NY

Dr. Tauseef Ahmed, M.D.
Tauseef Ahmed, M.D.

Westchester Oncology & Hematology
19 Bradhurst Avenue
Hawthorne, NY 10532

Call: 888-370-4284

Eastchester Center for Cancer Care Bronx, NY

Eastchester Center for Cancer Care
Eastchester Center for Cancer Care

Eastchester Center for Cancer Care
2330 Eastchester Road
Bronx, NY 10649

Call: (888) 860-7136

Texas Colonoscopy Centers

The Texas Colonoscopy Centers
The Texas Colonoscopy Centers

The MicroSurgery Institute

,

Call: 888-493-1243

Chicago, Illinois Cancer Treatment Center

Cancer Hospital in Zion
Cancer Hospital in Zion

Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Zion, Illinois
2520 Elisha Avenue
Zion, IL 60099

Call: 800-403-7412

Skin Cancer Westchester, NY

Dr. Tauseef Ahmed, M.D.
Tauseef Ahmed, M.D.

Westchester Oncology & Hematology
19 Bradhurst Avenue
Hawthorne, NY 10532

Call: 888-370-4284

Cancer Treatment Center NY

Dr. Tauseef Ahmed, M.D.
Tauseef Ahmed, M.D.

Westchester Oncology & Hematology
19 Bradhurst Avenue
Hawthorne, NY 10532

Call: 888-370-4284

Specialities