BRAF mutation! What happened to the little switch in the body? New breakthrough in lung cancer treatment →

Dear readers, hello! Today, we are going to talk about a medical topic that is both mysterious and full of hope - BRAF mutation. Perhaps you have heard of this term before, but you don't know much about the story behind it. It doesn't matter. Next, let me take you into this magical world, unveil the mystery of BRAF mutation, and see how it has become a new breakthrough in lung cancer treatment and lit up the light of hope for life!

BRAF mutation: What goes wrong in the body's little switch?

In our body, there are many proteins that act like small switches, which are responsible for controlling the growth and division of cells. Among them, BRAF is such an important "small switch". It is located in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway and plays a key role in regulating cell growth. However, when BRAF mutates, this pathway will be continuously activated, causing cells to lose control and continue to proliferate, which may eventually cause tumors.

BRAF mutations occur in a variety of solid tumors, such as melanoma and papillary thyroid carcinoma. Although the proportion of BRAF mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is not high, considering the large number of lung cancer patients in China, such mutations cannot be ignored. Therefore, it is crucial for lung cancer patients to understand the significance and treatment of BRAF mutations.

BRAF mutation-positive advanced lung cancer: What does it mean?

When your doctor tells you that your lung cancer is BRAF mutation-positive, you may feel scared and uneasy. But please believe that this does not mean the end of life, but a new starting point for treatment.

Advanced lung cancer with positive BRAF mutations usually means that the prognosis of patients is poor. However, with the deepening of medical research, we have found that these patients have changed from the driver gene-negative population that could not be treated with precision therapy to the targeted therapy population that can now receive precise individualized treatment. This change not only brings better treatment effects to patients, but also gives them more chances of survival.

Among lung cancer patients with BRAF mutation-positive lung cancer, lung adenocarcinoma is more common, and this type of mutation is more common in the elderly, women, and non-smokers. Therefore, BRAF gene testing is particularly important for these groups.

Discovery of BRAF mutation-positive advanced lung cancer: How to find the key to life?

So, how do we find BRAF mutation-positive advanced lung cancer? It’s like a treasure hunt, requiring us to carefully look for the key to life.

First of all, we must follow the principle of "testing everything possible" and perform BRAF gene testing on all patients with lung adenocarcinoma. This is like using a precise key to open the door to the treasure house of patient treatment. When selecting test samples, we give priority to tissue specimens for testing because tissue specimens can provide more accurate genetic information. Of course, when tissue specimens are not available, liquid biopsy can also be used as an alternative.

Next, we need to use advanced detection technologies to find traces of BRAF mutations. Currently, commonly used detection methods include NGS (next generation sequencing) and multiplex RT-PCR. These technologies are like magnifying glasses and microscopes in our hands, helping us see the details of gene mutations more clearly.

Through this series of testing processes, we can accurately find lung cancer patients with BRAF mutations and provide a basis for formulating personalized treatment plans for them.

BRAF mutation-positive advanced lung cancer: Is there a cure?

Facing the challenge of BRAF mutation-positive advanced lung cancer, we are not helpless. In recent years, with a deeper understanding of the BRAF mutation mechanism and continuous breakthroughs in new drug research and development, we have brought new treatment hope to patients.

In the early days, due to the lack of targeted treatment, BRAF mutation-positive lung cancer patients could only choose traditional immunotherapy with limited effects, facing high toxicity and side effects and unsatisfactory efficacy. However, with the development and application of new drugs such as BRAF inhibitors and MEK inhibitors, we have finally found a powerful tool to deal with this problem.

The dual-target therapy of BRAF inhibitors combined with MEK inhibitors has brought significant therapeutic effects to patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with BRAF V600 mutations. This treatment regimen not only improves the objective response rate of patients, but also prolongs their survival. In clinical studies around the world, this regimen has shown excellent therapeutic effects and has performed even better in clinical studies in China.

What is even more exciting is that with the approval of this treatment in China in 2022 and its inclusion in the national medical insurance catalog in 2023, more and more patients with BRAF mutation-positive advanced lung cancer will be able to enjoy the benefits of this treatment. This means that we no longer rely solely on traditional immunotherapy to deal with this disease, but have more suitable treatment options.

BRAF mutation-positive advanced lung cancer: How important is the timing of treatment?

For patients with BRAF mutation-positive advanced lung cancer, the importance of choosing the right time for treatment is self-evident. This is not just a medical decision, but also a choice about life and hope. Just like farmers sow in spring and look forward to a good harvest in autumn, patients and doctors also need to work together to grasp the "spring" of treatment in order to obtain the best treatment effect.

Thanks to the efficacy of BRAF inhibitors combined with MEK inhibitors, this dual-target treatment regimen has become a first-line treatment option for patients with BRAF mutation-positive advanced lung cancer. Both international and domestic professional guidelines strongly recommend it.

However, the choice of treatment timing does not exist in isolation. When deciding on a treatment plan, we need to consider the patient's overall health, the rate of disease progression, the specific type of gene mutation, and the patient's personal wishes and quality of life needs. Doctors need to communicate in depth with patients, explain the pros and cons of various treatment options, and jointly develop a personalized treatment plan.

In addition, with the continuous advancement of medical research and the emergence of new drugs, we also need to pay close attention to the latest treatment advances so that we can adjust treatment plans when appropriate and provide patients with better treatment options.

In short, the choice of treatment timing is a key link in the treatment of BRAF mutation-positive advanced lung cancer. Only by accurately grasping the treatment timing and formulating personalized treatment plans based on the specific conditions of the patients can we bring better treatment effects and higher quality of life to patients.

BRAF mutation-positive advanced lung cancer: the key to follow-up and comprehensive management

For patients with BRAF mutation-positive advanced lung cancer, follow-up and full-process management are equally critical. First, patients should strictly follow the doctor's medication instructions, pay attention to drug side effects and communicate in a timely manner. Secondly, adjust the lifestyle, maintain a healthy schedule and a reasonable diet to enhance the body's resistance. In addition, go to the hospital for regular check-ups to evaluate the treatment effect and disease progression, and ensure timely adjustment of the treatment plan. At the same time, patients and their families should pay attention to psychological support and face challenges positively. Finally, pay attention to the latest treatment progress so that treatment strategies can be adjusted when necessary. In short, follow-up and full-process management require the joint efforts of patients, families and doctors to provide strong support for patients' anti-cancer journey.

Expert introduction

Zhou Jianya

Professor, Chief Physician, Doctoral Supervisor, Zhejiang University School of Medicine

Director of the Department of Respiratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine

Director of Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases

Director of the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO), member of the standing committee of the Tumor Marker Committee, member of the Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Committee

Member of the Tobacco Diseases Group of the Respiratory Branch of the Chinese Medical Association and the Medical Ethics Branch

Vice Chairman of the Respiratory Disease Branch of Zhejiang Medical Association

Vice Chairman of the Zhejiang Provincial Medical Doctor Association Tumor Precision Treatment Committee

New Drug Inspection Specialist of the State Drug Administration

Visiting Scholar at Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins Hospital, USA

Approval code: TML0026682-63452, valid until 2025-06-19, expired information will be deemed invalid