Boris C. Bastian, MD, PhD: Upfront BRAF Testing in Melanoma
Should there be upfront testing for BRAF and what is the best process for ordering and conducting tests?
CASE: Metastatic Melanoma
Michelle is a 55-year old who was referred by her primary care physician to receive a biopsy for a suspicious mole during a routine visit. Results of the biopsy and other subsequent tests revealed that she had an M1b stage tumor (lung metastasis and a less than ULN LDH level). Her ECOG PS is 0.
- Initial BRAF testing using a laboratory-developed test was negative for BRAF V600E L
She was referred from the community setting to a tertiary center, at which point a second test was conducted using the bioMérieux HxID-BRAF kit. This assay was positive for the BRAF V600K mutation
- Following the finding ofBRAF-positivity, Michelle was prescribed the combination of dabrafenib (150 mg BID) and trametinib (1 mg daily)
10-Year Data From CheckMate 067 Confirms Survival Advantage of Nivolumab in Advanced Melanoma
September 15th 2024Nivolumab, alone or with ipilimumab, significantly improved 10-year overall and melanoma-specific survival vs ipilimumab alone in advanced melanoma, according to final phase 3 CheckMate 067 trial data.
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