ASCO 2013 Video: Could BRAF be a new target in NSCLC? - 1257657

The example of ROS-1 is mentioned as a small percentage re-arrangement in LC. Fortunately for those with ROS-1, it was discovered that the response to Xalkori was rather favorable, and as such ROS-1 piggy-backed onto the ALK re-arrangement. I understand that LC patients with the BRAF re-arrangement can now piggy-back onto some of the trials for melanoma.
That being said, my wife (mBAC) does have the BRAF V600E mutation. Her first line of treatment was six cycles of Carboplatin-Alimta to which she responded well and for the last 12 months she has been on Alimta maintenance and she has been stable and without any new lesions since treatment started. Moreover, she is tolerating the treatment rather well. I would think then that entering a trial for dabrafenib makes only sense if the current treatment is no longer effective, or perhaps, until the trial shows that dabrafenib can shrink if not eradicate any cancerous tissue. Such trial results though may still be years away.
Nonetheless, if trials can show that there is a potentially viable drug crossover from melanoma to LC for those with the BRAF mutation it will offer new hope to this small subgroup of LC patients. Looking forward to more news about what is being done.
Thanks for all the good work.
Dutch46

My wife, 66 yrs.
DX Mar 11 NSCLC mBAC
Mar 11 lobectomy left LL & lower UL.
Scans: May 11 clean; July 11 bilateral GGOs; Sep 11 more prominent GGOs;
Dec 11 worsening GGOs w/ few foci more dense consolidation
Jan 12 transformation to classic adenocarcinoma
Feb 12 PET scan further growth, no mets, BRAF positive (V600E)
Mar 12 started Carbo-Alimta chemo
Apr (25) 12 CT scan showed improvement in comparison to Feb 12 scan
Jun (25) 12 CT scan showed continued and remarkable improvement
Started Alimta only maintenance
Sep (19) 12 CT scan showed stable condition
Jan (2) 13 CT scan showed improvement from prior scan - no new lesions -
Alimta maintenance to continue
May (8) 13 CT scan stable, no new lesions/infiltrate, sligh

My dad has the BRAF mutation and he's put on the Novartis LGX818 + MEK162 trial since March 2013 as his 2nd line.

There has been no shrinkage, but for the past 4 months, the trial has achieved stable disease. His next scan is in a couple of weeks time and I hope to be able to report back with good news.