29 April 2016 - NICE is today recommending a new drug combination for melanoma that could extend life by six months.

NICE has published final draft guidance recommending trametinib (Mekinist, Novartis) in combination with dabrafenib (Tafinlar, Novartis) to treat a type of skin cancer that has spread and can’t be surgically removed.

Patients with BRAF V600 mutation positive melanoma receiving the new treatment in two clinical trials survived an average of 6 months longer than those on other drugs.

Life expectancy for those with advanced melanoma is currently under two years. Melanoma accounted for around 1,750 deaths in 2012 in England, and 12,200 people were diagnosed in 2013.

For more details, go to: https://www.nice.org.uk/news/press-and-media/nice-recommends-combined-drug-therapy-proven-to-extend-life-for-skin-cancer