The three-drug combination of encorafenib, binimetinib, and cetuximab significantly improved overall survival (OS) in patients with BRAF-mutated metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), according to results of the BEACON CRC Phase III clinical trial led by researchers at The University of Texas (UT) MD Anderson Cancer Center. The treatment combination resulted in a median OS of 9 months for the combination therapy compared to 5.4 months for current standard-of-care treatment. Objective response rate (ORR) for the triplet-targeted therapy was 26 percent compared to just two percent for standard therapy. BEACON CRC is the first and only Phase III trial designed to test BRAF/MEK combination targeted therapies in patients with mCRC and the BRAF V600E mutation. BRAF mutations are estimated to occur in up to 15 percent of patients with mCRC, with V600E being the most common BRAF mutation and representing a poor prognosis for these patients. The trial results was reported on July 6at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer 2019 (https://www.esmo.org/Conferences/ESMO-World-GI-2019) in Barcelona, Spain, by principal investigator Scott Kopetz, MD, Associate Professor of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology at MD Anderson. The title of the report abstract is BEACON CRC: a randomized, 3-Arm, phase 3 study of encorafenib and cetuximab with or without binimetinib vs. choice of either irinotecan or FOLFIRI plus cetuximab in BRAF V600E–mutant metastatic colorectal cancer. "This study builds on a decade of research into the tumor biology of BRAF-mutated colorectal cancer, and reflects a rationale combination to address the vulnerabilities unique to this tumor," said Dr. Kopetz.Login Or Register To Read Full Story