Experimental Drug Successfully Shrinks Tumors That Spread to Brain

An experimental drug targeting a common melanoma mutation successfully shrank tumors that spread to the brain in nine out of 10 patients as part of an international phase I clinical trial report, published in the May 18 issue of The Lancet.

The drug dabrafenib, which targets the Val600 BRAF mutation that is active in half of melanoma cases, also cut the size of tumors in 25 out of 36 patients with late-stage melanoma that had not spread to the brain. In addition, the drug showed activity in other cancer types with the BRAF mutation. For more information, click here to read the full release.