Melanoma and CLL ~ experimental drug RG7204 offers some hope

[Guest guest]

The 10-year overall survival in patients diagnosed with melanoma preceded by CLL

was 19%, compared with an expected 55% if they had no history of prior CLL. The

10-year melanoma-specific survival rates were 62% with a prior diagnosis of CLL

and 84% without.

( Dr. Brewer, a dermatologic surgeon at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester,

http://tinyurl.com/6evjdvu)

Now a report from the BBC looks at the early work of Dr Larkin, from the

Royal Marsden Hospital in the UK.

A drug currently in clinical trial, called RG7204 (Roche) targets a specific

faulty gene - the mutated BRAF protein that is present in around 50% of all

melanoma cases.

In these 50% of cases RG7204 caused tumours to shrink in 70% of cases.

Link to BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12238505

~chris

CLL CANADA