News and Stories
July 06, 2022
A Roadmap to Targeted Therapy in Oncology
Dr. Hina Sheikh, Co-Chief, Section of Dermatopathology at HNL Lab Medicine, contributed on this case report, along with colleagues in medical, surgical and radiation oncology at LV Health Network. It was recently published in Melanoma Research Journal 2022 (article). It gives a personalized treatment roadmap on a patient with inoperable stage III melanoma, who failed multiple standard treatments but subsequently showed response to an investigational therapeutic ulixertinib. Case underscores the value of flexibility in oncologic treatment when patients have failed first line therapies or develop serious side effects. Role of pathology in tumor mutational profiling (to guide targeted therapy) and in assessment of treatment response is highlighted. As ulixertinib is formally being reviewed in multiple clinical trials for several tumor types, authors wanted to bring to attention this case (first to their knowledge) of a patient with advanced melanoma harboring the BRAF D594G mutation that was treated successfully with this ERK inhibitor. Such success stories not only give hope to oncology patients, but they also bring the collective medical community closer to our shared goal of personalized 'precision' medicine. HNL and LVHN are fully committed to this goal.

