BRIAN WILLIAMS, anchor:
We mentioned this earlier. We're back now with some very encouraging health news about treating advanced
melanoma
, the life-threatening form of
skin cancer
. For the second time in just a few months here, there is a word of a -- yet another drug that could help save lives. Our report from our chief science correspondent
Robert Bazell
.
Unidentified Man #1:
Good girl.
ROBERT BAZELL reporting:
Emily Black
is only 25, and has been fighting advanced
melanoma
for five of those years.
Ms. EMILY BLACK:
Relating to people my age was difficult. It was hard to see people going to class and, you know, just living life normally and not even realizing how good they have it.
BAZELL:
Until recently, the outlook for people whose
melanoma
had spread beyond the initial
skin tumor
was bleak.
Black
took part in several clinical trials. Nothing worked until she started taking an
experimental drug
,
PLX4032
. It targets a genetic mutation that appears in about 60 percent of people with
melanoma
.
Dr. KEITH FLAHERTY (Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center):
We started her on treatment beginning in February.
BAZELL:
Her results, clear on these scans, were dramatic.
Ms. BLACK:
The tumor shrunk at least by 50 percent within a month. It was just incredible.
Dr. FLAHERTY:
You can see improvement.
BAZELL:
The results out today show that in those with the genetic mutation, more than 80 percent saw their tumor shrink, and some were alive and healthy two years later.
Dr. FLAHERTY:
Almost all at once with one type of treatment, we had the feeling that for half the patients we'd made a monumental leap.
BAZELL:
The success with
PLX4032
comes three months after news that a separate drug, called ipilimumab, appears to cure 20 to 30 percent of patients with advanced
melanoma
by stimulating the immune system. The two drugs are not related.
Dr. FLAHERTY:
Your lungs sound nice and clear.
BAZELL:
And some patients might benefit from both.
Dr. FLAHERTY:
These results, frankly, give us the strongest sense that we might actually have a
foot in the door
in terms of management of this disease.
BAZELL:
So far
PLX4032
has been given only to patients with advanced
melanoma
. Doctors hope it will work better earlier in the disease. The two new drugs could help more than half of
melanoma
patients. Of course, everyone wants 100 percent, but,
Brian
, as we've discussed before, this targeted therapy is the way advances against cancer work now.
WILLIAMS:
Take the good news as it comes.
Robert Bazell
, thank you, as always.
“ ”