Before undergoing treatment with Zelboraf™ (
vemurafenib), your healthcare provider will obtain a sample of your
skin cancer. If this test shows that you have a certain type of abnormal gene (called the BRAF gene), you may be able to take Zelboraf. This prescription medicine is only approved for use in adults who have
melanoma with an abnormal BRAF gene. This drug is also only used when the
skin cancer has spread to other areas of the body or cannot be surgically treated.
Zelboraf works by blocking the action of an abnormal BRAF gene. A normal BRAF gene helps regulate cell growth. However, when this gene is defective, it causes an abnormal growth of cells (including cancer cells). By blocking the action of the BRAF gene and preventing abnormal cell growth, Zelboraf can slow down the progression of melanoma.
(For more details on this type of cancer treatment, click Zelboraf. This full-length article also covers dosing instructions, potential side effects, safety issues to be aware of, and more.)
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