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New Melanoma Drug Approved

A second drug for melanoma has just been approved by the FDA. The agency acted at least two months before it was expected to do so, and also approved a diagnostic test that allows doctors to tell if their melanoma patients have a specific genetic mutation that makes their cancer susceptible to the new drug, called Zelboraf (vemurafenib). People with advanced melanoma who fit the criteria and got the drug in clinical trials were 63 percent more likely to survive than those getting standard chemotherapy. About half of all cases of melanoma are associated with the alteration in a gene called BRAF that makes them vulnerable to Zelboraf, but the effectiveness eventually wears off for some patients. Side effects of the new drug include hair loss, rash, joint pain and extreme sensitivity to sunlight. Earlier this year, the FDA approved Yervoy (ipilimumab), which works differently to fight melanoma.

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About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
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