“Targeted therapies are medicines that are not for everyone with melanoma,” says Dr. Anna Pavlick, a medical oncologist at Weill Cornell Medicine. The medicines specifically target patients with certain genetic abnormalities, like the BRAF mutation.
According to Dr. Pavlick, it's estimated that 50 percent of melanoma patients with metastatic disease will develop the BRAF mutation, which drives the melanoma to keep spreading.
Read More- Dabrafenib (Tafinlar
- Trametinib (Mekinist)
- Vemurafenib (Zelboraf)
- Encorafenib (Braftovi) plus Binimetinib (Mektovi)
- Dabrafenib (Tafinlar) plus trametinib (Mekinist)
- Vemurafenib (Zelboraf) plus cobimetinib (Cotellic)combined with the immunotherapy drug (atezolizumab)Tecentriq
The most common side effects of targeted therapies include:
- Rash
- Joint pain
- Elevated liver enzymes
- Fever
- Extreme sensitivity to light (photosensitivity)
Targeted therapies have changed the landscape of how we treat melanoma and offer many people with the BRAF mutation the chance for long-term remission. Talk to your oncologist to see if targeted therapy is right for you.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.