Oncologist to prescribe BRAF and MEK Inhibitor

[nikki7465]

Hi Everyone,

I’m just wondering if anyone knows of an oncologist willing to prescribe a BRAF inhibitor with a MEK inhibitor?

thanks

Nikki

[Catherine Poole]

I’m told January 2014 will be the timing for FDA approval of the combo. In the meantime, I would call upon your local oncologist and see if there are issues getting each prescribed individually. I know this is a glitch since research shows the agents given together provide the best outcome. Let us know if you have tried your oncologist.

[nikki7465]

Hi Catherine,

We are seeing Dr. Joshua at Princess Margaret Centre in Toronto, Dr. Petrella at the Odette Cancer centre in Toronto and Dr. Kittaneh at the Karmanos clinic in Michigan. All of them are uncomfortable prescribing them together and have advised us to wait til January, but I thought I’d see if anyone else knows of a doctor willing to prescribe them together so that we could get on them now.

thanks

nikki

[Catherine Poole]

Nikki,

Can you email me privately? cpoole@melanomainternational.org

I may have a solution for you!

[PatW]

Nikki, much to my surprise, many of the patients on the Melanoma Patients Information Page forum are getting both BRAF and MEK. Getting the combo seems to depend both on the willingness of the oncologist to prescribe both of them and on the willingness of the insurance company to pay for both of them. You could try posting your question on the MPIP forum and see what you can find out.

By the way, these patients say that the combo does work better than BRAF alone and has fewer side effects.

[nikki7465]

Thanks Pat!! I posted the question there as well, so fingers crossed. I’ve looked at the clinical trials for the combo as well and he doesn’t meet the inclusion criteria because he’s just finished whole brain radiation and he’s had systemic therapy with yervoy, so I think the only way he’ll get it, is if an oncologist will prescribe it together.

[Catherine Poole]

The combination won’t be approved in the US until January. Nikki, did you follow up with resource in Montreal that I sent you? Yes, you can possibly get your oncologist to prescribe both in the U.S. and the literature does show an advantage to the combo if you have not failed Zelboraf prior. Dr. Wilson Miller at Jewish General Hospital in Montreal http://cancercentre.mcgill.ca/research/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=127&Itemid=97&lang=en

has a trial for the other combo, by Novartis and will work with you to get the other.

[nikki7465]

Hi Catherine,

yes I’ve emailed and called the doctor in Montreal, just waiting to hear back. He’s never had a BRAF inhibitor, so we’re really hoping to get both if we can. I watched the webinar too on the combination therapies, so we’re trying really hard to get it.

thank you so much for all your help…..I’ll let you know what Doctor Miller says

Nikki

[Catherine Poole]

He has the Novartis Braf/Mek in a clinical trial and said he can prescribe the GSK braf/mek. So I think you are in good hands.. let me know.

[Author]

Posts