Dr. Wilson on Choosing Between BRAF/MEK Therapies for Patients With Melanoma

Melissa A. Wilson, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of medicine at Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Medical Center, discusses how physicians select between the 2 BRAF/MEK inhibitor combination regimens for their patients with melanoma.

The differences come down to the side effect profiles, Wilson explains. While all of the BRAF/MEK inhibitors have very similar general side effect profiles, there are little differences and nuances between them. For example, dabrafenib (Trametinib)/trametinib (Mekinist) is associated with pyrexia and fevers, which are the unique characteristics of that combination.

Vemurafenib (Zelboraf) combined with cobimetinib (Cotellic) is associated with photosensitivity. Physicians typically could choose 1 regimen over the other depending on patients’ lifestyle and how often they are outside.

Other differences are related to storage and taking the medication. Trametinib needs to be refrigerated, and the combination of dabrafenib/trametinib needs to be taken on an empty stomach. However, vemurafenib/cobimetinib does not have any refrigeration requirements nor any separation with food requirements.