Pill slows spread of skin cancer in half of cases (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

A new drug for skin cancer can slow the spread of the disease in half of patients, thereby extending their lives, a study says.

A trial of 680 patients at the Royal Marsden Hospital, London tested a drug that attacks a genetic mutation found in half of all skin cancer cases.

The drug was effective on patients with advanced malignant melanoma.

The study has been welcomed by Cancer Research UK, but not yet published for review by other cancer specialists.

Dr Lesley Walker from Cancer Research UK, said she hoped that the drug would become available to patients quickly:
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more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12238505




Note that this study involved the most resistant form of skin cancer -- not the more easily treated basal cell carcinoma.

[yellowcanine]

1. Outstanding news. Now I have to wonder if it could have saved a good friend of mine.

He died from a malignant melanoma which started out as a mole on his back.

[Teaser]

2. finally some progress on this front.

.

[SharonAnn]

3. My husband was on a drug trial with this in 2010 as a colon cancer patient.

He had colon cancer with the mutated B-RAF gene, like many melanoma patients, and they were hoping it would work on that, too.

But it didn't, and he died within 6 months.

The drug trial was at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and they were having terrific results with melanoma patients. Several other Cancer Centers were part of this melanoma drug trial.

Tumors with the mutated B-RAF gene are very aggressive and very resistant to standard chemotherapies. But this drug, which is taken orally, only targets the mutated B-Raf gene cells and stops their reproduction. It has very few side effects compared to other chemotherapies.

Last I knew, they still think it would work for these kinds of tumors in colon cancer and other cancers, but they think the drug is not getting to the colon cancer cells or the dosage needs to be changed.

Anyway, we had incredible hope for a while, and then it was dashed. But I wouldn't trade those months of hope for anything and I'm sure my husband wouldn't have, either.

[SharonAnn]

4. The New York Times did a series of articles on this drug trial in June (?) of 2010.

It was a very interesting set of articles.

There actually is more than one type of drug in these drug trials. Several different ones target the mutated B-RAF gene.

[Teaser]

5. My condolences

You and your husband should be thanked for your part in those trials. Your heartbreaking sacrifice may yet help many people. Small comfort, I know, but again...thank you.