Sensitivity of plasma BRAFmutant and NRASmutant cell‐free DNA assays to detect metastatic melanoma in patients with low RECIST scores and non‐RECIST disease progression
Chang GA, Tadepalli JS, Shao Y, Zhang Y, Weiss S, Robinson E, Spittle C, Furtado M, Shelton DN, Karlin-Neumann G, Pavlick A, Osman I, Polsky D. Sensitivity of plasma BRAFmutant and NRASmutant cell‐free DNA assays to detect metastatic melanoma in patients with low RECIST scores and non‐RECIST disease progression. Molecular Oncology 2015, 10: 157-165. PMID: 26440707, PMCID: PMC4695284, DOI: 10.1016/j.molonc.2015.09.005.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNew brain metastasesDisease progressionTreatment initiationBrain metastasesDisease activityCtDNA levelsMetastatic melanomaProgression eventsRECIST scoresUseful blood-based biomarkerImmune checkpoint blockadeDisease progression eventsBRAF inhibitor therapyBlood-based biomarkersCell-free DNA assaysCheckpoint blockadeMetastatic diseaseInhibitor therapyTreatment courseLDH levelsPatient managementUseful biomarkerPatientsDroplet digital PCR assaysProgressionDabrafenib for the treatment of melanoma
Weiss S, Pavlick A. Dabrafenib for the treatment of melanoma. Expert Opinion On Orphan Drugs 2015, 3: 1075-1084. DOI: 10.1517/21678707.2015.1067136.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAdvanced melanomaBrain metastasesBRAF V600EEffective salvage therapyMilestone clinical trialsPractice-changing approachAdvanced melanoma patientsHigh tumor burdenMelanoma brain metastasesFirst-line therapyMajority of patientsMEK inhibitor trametinibBRAF inhibitor therapyTreatment of melanomaV600K mutationsMutant BRAF kinaseMechanism of actionSalvage therapyAdverse eventsInhibitor therapyMelanoma patientsTumor burdenPoor prognosisCancer symptomsIL-2