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Combination therapy shows promise in colorectal cancer treatment

Ryan B. Corcoran, MD, PhD (Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator '12-'17), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, and colleagues reported the results of a Phase I/II clinical study demonstrating that the combination of the BRAF inhibitor dabrafenib (Tafinlar) and the MEK inhibitor trametinib (Mekinist) produced responses in some patients with BRAF V600–mutant metastatic colorectal cancer, ranging from stable disease to complete response. Interestingly, they also identified mutations in the gene PIK3CA in responding patients. The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.