BRAFV600E-Mutant Melanoma Presenting With Cardiac Involvement
Melanoma is an aggressive skin cancer with historically limited treatment options. Approximately 50% of melanomas harbor BRAFV600 mutations. This report describes a 32-year-old man with metastatic BRAFV600-mutant melanoma who presented with cardiac involvement. Recently developed treatment options for patients with BRAF-mutant melanoma include BRAF inhibitors (vemurafenib, dabrafenib), MEK inhibitors (trametinib), and immune-based therapeutics (interleukin 2 or ipilimumab), but the most effective strategy for first-line therapy is heavily debated. Opinions vary for treatment selection, but the general consensus recommends immune-based therapies initially for asymptomatic patients with low-volume disease, and BRAF inhibitors for those with highly symptomatic or rapidly progressing disease. In this case, melanoma with cardiac involvement, although clinically uncommon, presents challenging management decisions.
Target Audience
This activity has been designated to meet the educational needs of physicians and nurses involved in the management of patients with cancer.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:
- Evaluate immune-based therapies and BRAF inhibitors for patients with melanoma
- Outline the challenges of cardiac involvement for patients with metastatic melanoma
Douglas B. Johnson, MD
Department of Hematology/Oncology
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, Tennessee
Jeffrey A. Sosman, MD
Department of Hematology/Oncology
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, Tennessee
Available Credit
- 1.00 Participation
- 1.00 Nurse
- 1.00 Physician
Price
Required Hardware/software
To access this activity, users will need:
- A device with an Internet connection
- Adobe Reader or other PDF reader software for article and certificate viewing/printing