gm77

Kerri,

my father has been on BRAF/MEK inhibitor combo for 16 months now.

It is definitely true that a good number of patients develop resistance within 12/14 months. But that doesn't mean everyone does. 

As Dr. Jeffrey Weber, NYU, says

The “urban legend” was that the BRAF and MEK inhibitors had a high response rate, but almost all of the patients would progress quickly, progression-free survival would be less than 1 year, and most patients would have to go on another therapy or would die of their disease.

That’s not exactly true. There does appear to be a plateau in the curve at about 30% for the patients who receive dabrafenib and trametinib. I am sure it will be virtually identical for vemurafenib and cobimetinib, which have a very similar median survival and 1-year survival track record as dabrafenib and trametinib. –

Full interview at: http://www.onclive.com/web-exclusives/weber-compares-brafmek-immunotherapy-combos-in-melanoma#sthash.fbKt4WQw.dpuf

So if your son responds, there is a significant chance that the response will be durable.

This diseases is unpredictable, and every patient has his/her own specific responses to treatments, that are impossible to predict in advance. I truly hope your son will be among that 30% whose response lasts long term.

Guido

Kerri,

my father has been on BRAF/MEK inhibitor combo for 16 months now.

It is definitely true that a good number of patients develop resistance within 12/14 months. But that doesn't mean everyone does. 

As Dr. Jeffrey Weber, NYU, says

The “urban legend” was that the BRAF and MEK inhibitors had a high response rate, but almost all of the patients would progress quickly, progression-free survival would be less than 1 year, and most patients would have to go on another therapy or would die of their disease.

That’s not exactly true. There does appear to be a plateau in the curve at about 30% for the patients who receive dabrafenib and trametinib. I am sure it will be virtually identical for vemurafenib and cobimetinib, which have a very similar median survival and 1-year survival track record as dabrafenib and trametinib. –

Full interview at: http://www.onclive.com/web-exclusives/weber-compares-brafmek-immunotherapy-combos-in-melanoma#sthash.fbKt4WQw.dpuf

So if your son responds, there is a significant chance that the response will be durable.

This diseases is unpredictable, and every patient has his/her own specific responses to treatments, that are impossible to predict in advance. I truly hope your son will be among that 30% whose response lasts long term.

Guido

Kerri,

my father has been on BRAF/MEK inhibitor combo for 16 months now.

It is definitely true that a good number of patients develop resistance within 12/14 months. But that doesn't mean everyone does. 

As Dr. Jeffrey Weber, NYU, says

The “urban legend” was that the BRAF and MEK inhibitors had a high response rate, but almost all of the patients would progress quickly, progression-free survival would be less than 1 year, and most patients would have to go on another therapy or would die of their disease.

That’s not exactly true. There does appear to be a plateau in the curve at about 30% for the patients who receive dabrafenib and trametinib. I am sure it will be virtually identical for vemurafenib and cobimetinib, which have a very similar median survival and 1-year survival track record as dabrafenib and trametinib. –

Full interview at: http://www.onclive.com/web-exclusives/weber-compares-brafmek-immunotherapy-combos-in-melanoma#sthash.fbKt4WQw.dpuf

So if your son responds, there is a significant chance that the response will be durable.

This diseases is unpredictable, and every patient has his/her own specific responses to treatments, that are impossible to predict in advance. I truly hope your son will be among that 30% whose response lasts long term.

Guido