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Ortho- and Ectopic Zebrafish Xeno-Engraftment of Ocular Melanoma to Recapitulate Primary Tumor and Experimental Metastasis Development
Published on: September 4, 2021
Dabrafenib and Trametinib for BRAF-Mutated Conjunctival Melanoma
Jenna May Kim1, Sarah Weiss2,3, John H Sinard1,4
1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science at Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Background:
Conjunctival melanoma is a potentially lethal malignancy of the ocular surface. There have been no therapeutic advancements made in the past several decades despite increasing prevalence of the disease.
Methods:
The authors report the case of a 52-year-old Caucasian male with unresectable, recurrent conjunctival melanoma with V600 BRAF mutation who was treated with systemic BRAF/MEK inhibition.
Results:
There was complete regression of local disease within the first 9 months. The patient remains without local recurrence or systemic metastasis at 1 year.
Conclusion:
This is the first reported case of conjunctival melanoma with complete response to BRAF/MEK inhibition. As long as targeted therapy remains an option, patients with conjunctival melanoma should undergo mutational profiling of their tumor.
Insights
Targeted therapy offers new hope for conjunctival melanoma. A patient with unresectable, recurrent conjunctival melanoma achieved complete remission with BRAF/MEK inhibition, highlighting the importance of tumor mutational profiling.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Oncology
- Dermatology
Background:
- Conjunctival melanoma is a rare but aggressive ocular surface malignancy.
- Limited therapeutic options exist, with no advancements in decades despite rising incidence.
- This malignancy poses a significant threat due to its potentially lethal nature.
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