Consolidation electrochemotherapy with bleomycin in metastatic melanoma during treatment with dabrafenib

Small molecules that inhibit V600 mutated BRAF protein, such as vemurafenib and dabrafenib, are effective in treatment of metastatic melanoma.

We here describe the clinical course of a V600E BRAF mutated metastatic melanoma patient with systemic disease, who developed tumor progression on superficial soft-tissue metastases during treatment with dabrafenib. Bleomycin electrochemotherapy during dabrafenib treatment was administered to control the soft-tissue progressing metastases and ensured sustained local control without significant toxicity.

The new combined approach maintained the patient quality of life and allowed for the prosecution of the target therapy, which proved to be still effective on systemic disease, up to 17 months.