Uses of Zelboraf

BRAF is a protein kinase that regulates genes responsible for cell replication and survival. The BRAF mutation promotes the overgrowth of cancer cells. The active ingredient Vemurafenib in Zelboraf works by blocking the abnormal activities of BRAF, thereby inhibiting the division of malignant cells and potentially causing cell death.

Zelboraf is produced in the form of tablets, taken orally twice a day. Patients may need to take several Zelboraf tablets at the same time to ensure a dose. Zelboraf tablets are required to be swallowed whole, with a glass of water and not crushed, broken or chewed. If a patient has missed a dose, the patient can take the missed dose 4 hours before the next dose, absolutely do not take 2 doses of Zelboraf at the same time to make up for the missed dose.
Zelboraf blood levels can be affected by a number of other factors, including grapefruit, grapefruit juice, Verapamil, Ketoconazole, Rifampin, Phenytoin, ivy, Modafinil, and several others. Patients should give their doctor a list of all medications and supplements they are taking.
Zelboraf only works for melanomas that have the BRAF V600E mutation, so patients should be tested for the presence of this mutation before starting use. To check for the above BRAF mutation, a tumor sample is biopsied and tested at an appropriate testing facility.
Zelboraf should be stored in the original manufacturer's packaging, labeled on the outside, and stored in a dry place and at room temperature. Note that Zelboraf should be kept out of the reach of children and pets.

3.1. Increased sun sensitivity Zelboraf may make a patient's skin more sensitive to the sun, which may lead to severe sunburn or a rash. This side effect may persist until the end of treatment. Patients taking Zelboraf should limit their exposure to the sun as much as possible, especially between 10 and 14 hours a day (when the intensity is strongest). In addition, patients should apply sunscreen (SPF of at least 30) daily, wear sunglasses, a hat, and long clothing to protect their skin when outdoors and seek shade whenever possible.
3.2. Rash and allergic reactions Some patients may develop an allergic reaction to Zelboraf, which may include rash (anywhere located in the mouth or soles), redness of the skin, blisters blistering, peeling, or severe allergic reaction causing difficulty breathing, fast heartbeat, swelling, or fever. If there are any side effects while taking Zelboraf, the patient should inform the oncologist immediately or rush to the emergency room for treatment.
3.3. Fatigue Fatigue is a common phenomenon during cancer treatment, especially when fatigue often does not improve when the patient rests. During and for some time after Zelboraf is discontinued, patients may need to adjust their daily activity schedule to manage this fatigue. Accordingly, patients should spend more time resting and saving energy to perform more important activities. In addition, doing exercise can be effective in managing fatigue, as simple as a daily walk with a friend is helpful.
3.4. Generalized pain Your doctor may prescribe certain medications and advise on other strategies to manage pain during cancer treatment with Zelboraf.
3.5. Vomiting Vomiting is a common side effect of cancer drugs and Zelboraf is no exception. Talk to your doctor or nurse about medications to help control nausea and vomiting. In addition, patients can change their diet to prevent or reduce vomiting caused by Zelboraf, including avoiding eating too much at once, limiting foods that are greasy, spicy, or acidic. At the same time, patients can try taking stomach acid antacids, drinking ginger water to relieve symptoms.
3.6. Hair loss, hair loss Patients taking Zelboraf may become thin, break easily, or fall out. This usually starts 2 to 3 weeks after taking Zelboraf. Besides hair, a person's hair can fall out in many places on the body, including pubic hair, armpit hair, limb hair, eyelashes, and nose hair. Hair usually begins to grow back soon after you finish using Zelboraf. Patients should remember that hair helps keep the scalp warm in cold weather, so wearing a hat when hair loss is especially important in cold weather or simply to protect the scalp from the sun.
3.7. Diarrhea Diarrhea is one of the common side effects of Zelboraf. Oncologists can recommend medications to reduce diarrhea. In addition, changing the diet and paying attention to adding enough water each day are extremely necessary to control and prevent dehydration complications of diarrhea.
3.8. Secondary skin cancer In clinical trials, some patients developed a new type of skin cancer (basal cell or squamous cell cancer) after treatment with Zelboraf. Therefore, patients should have a dermatological examination before starting treatment, then every 2 months during the course of treatment, and then re-examined 6 months after discontinuing Zelboraf. Patients should monitor their skin condition regularly and report to their doctor any symptoms such as sores or swelling with bleeding or slow healing, or any unusual changes in the mole. ...
3.9. Uncommon side effects Heart problems: Zelboraf can affect the electrical activity in the heart, causing an irregular heartbeat called QT prolongation. Notify the doctor immediately if the patient feels an irregular heartbeat or develops dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting; Eye problems: Some patients have developed uveitis while taking Zelboraf. This is an inflammation of the middle layer of the eye with symptoms such as blurred vision, dark spots in vision, red or painful eyes, and sensitivity to light. If any of these symptoms appear, the patient should notify the treating physician immediately; Hepatotoxicity: Zelboraf can cause liver toxicity, which your doctor can monitor using appropriate liver function tests. Patients should monitor and notify the doctor when there are symptoms of liver damage such as yellow skin or eyes, dark or brown urine or abdominal pain; Radiation Recall Syndrome: This reaction occurs on the skin, manifesting itself as sunburn (redness, swelling, pain, peeling skin) in areas that have received radiation therapy before. This syndrome can occur when radiation therapy is given at the same time as or after chemotherapy. Patients should notify their oncologist if they notice symptoms of this serious side effect or plan to have radiation therapy; Stevens Johnson syndrome: This is a rare, but serious, allergic reaction that affects the skin and mucous membranes in the body. This side effect usually starts as a painful rash or blisters, then progresses to serious skin damage and in some cases death. It is important that patients report any rash to their doctor immediately; Secondary cancer: A disease that develops after treatment for another cancer. This is quite rare, but patients should still take all risks. In most cases, the secondary cancer associated with chemotherapy is a blood cancer (leukemia, lymphoma) and this can occur many years after treatment ends, often involving repeated treatment or high doses; Kidney problems: Zelboraf can cause kidney problems, including kidney failure, which your oncologist can monitor using blood tests; Dupuytren's spasticity and plantar fascia (Plantar Fascial Fibromatosis): Dupuytren's spasticity causes the subcutaneous tissue to thicken, pulling the fingers toward the palm. Plantar fibroma is a thickening of the tissue in the foot. If the patient begins to have difficulty moving the arms or legs, the doctor should be contacted immediately.

Fetal exposure to Zelboraf during pregnancy can lead to birth defects, so patients should not become pregnant or father a child while taking Zelboraf. Practicing effective forms of birth control is essential during treatment and for at least 2 weeks after it ends.
Zelboraf can pass into breast milk, so do not breast-feed during treatment and for at least 2 weeks after the last dose of Zelboraf.
In summary, BRAF is a protein kinase that regulates genes responsible for cell replication and survival. The BRAF mutation promotes the overgrowth of cancer cells. Patients need to follow the instructions exactly to get the best results.
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Reference source: oncolink.org