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Researchers Uncover How New Melanoma Drug Accelerates Secondary Skin Cancers

By Guest PostJanuary 20, 2012Healthantoni ribas, braf mutation, cancer growth, cancer mutation, cancer treatment, drug, hematology, malignant cells, mechanism, mek inhibitor, melanoma cells, metastatic melanoma, mutated braf protein, mutation, oncogenic mutations, oncology, patients, plexxikon, ras mutation, roche, ruby family foundation, seaver institute, secondary skin cancers, side effect, skin squamous cell carcinomas, vemurafenib, zelboraf

Patients with metastatic melanoma taking the recently approved drug vemurafenib (marketed as Zelboraf) responded well to the twice-daily pill, but some of them developed a different, secondary skin cancer.

Now, researchers at UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, working with investigators from the Institute of Cancer Research in London, Roche and Plexxikon, have elucidated the mechanism by which the drug excels at fighting melanoma but also allows for the development of skin squamous-cell carcinomas. (more…)

Solving The Mystery of An Old Drug That May Reduce Cancer Risk

In 2005, news first broke that researchers in Scotland found unexpectedly low rates of cancer among diabetics taking metformin, a drug commonly prescribed to patients with Type II diabetes. Many follow-up studies reported similar findings, some suggesting as much as a 50-per-cent reduction in risk. How could this anti-diabetic drug reduce the risk of developing cancer and what were the mechanisms involved? (more…)

Tag Archives: oncogenic mutations

Researchers Uncover How New Melanoma Drug Accelerates Secondary Skin Cancers

Solving The Mystery of An Old Drug That May Reduce Cancer Risk