title: Resistance to vemurafenib can be reversible after treatment interruption: a case report of a metastatic melanoma patient.
abstract: About 40% to 60% of melanomas present BRAF mutation. Selective BRAF inhibitors such as vemurafenib and dabrafenib are currently approved for the treatment of advanced melanoma patients with BRAF mutation. The treatment-induced tumor regression occurs in the majority of patients; however, acquired resistance to BRAF inhibitors is observed in most of the patients after 6 to 7 months. After progression of the disease, the patient might be offered treatment with ipilimumab followed by chemotherapy. Subsequent lines of systemic treatment of metastatic melanoma patients do not exist.Here we report a case of a 59-year-old woman with a diagnosis of BRAF-mutant metastatic melanoma that responded to initial treatment with vemurafenib. Subsequently, after disease progression, the patient received chemotherapy. Since no clinical response to dacarbazine was observed, carboplatin with paclitaxel were applied. Transient partial response was obtained, which was followed by further disease progression. Then retreatment with vemurafenib was applied. The patient developed very short-term tumor regression and significant biochemical response (serum lactate dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase) to the treatment. However, following 5 weeks of retreatment, the patient developed progression of the disease. Our clinical observation indicates that in melanoma patients who developed resistance to selective BRAF inhibitors, rechallenge after treatment interruption might be beneficial.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Dermatology (MM-W), Poznan University of Medical Sciences; Department of General, Endocrinological and Gastroenterological Oncology Surgery (LK), Poznan University of Medical Sciences; Department of Radiology (JK), Greater Poland Cancer Centre; Department of Medical Biotechnology (JM), University of Medical Sciences; Department of Diagnostics and Cancer Immunology (JM), Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan; and Department of Medical Oncology (JM), Małgorzata Medical Center, Srem, Poland.
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mackiewicz-Wysocka
authors.forename: Łukasz
authors.initials: Ł
authors.lastname: Krokowicz
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kocur
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mackiewicz
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000077484:Vemurafenib
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007211:Indoles; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000077484:Vemurafenib