This article has been co-authored by a patient with right-sided BRAFV600E metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), his caregiver, and an oncologist. Here the patient and caregiver discuss their personal experiences struggling with cancer, including their fears, expectations, and attitudes as the disease progresses. The oncologist describes how patients with BRAFV600E mCRC are treated and how the management strategy can be balanced to mitigate any side effects. Improved diagnostic techniques and the availability of numerous treatment options, including various chemotherapy schemes and molecular-targeted drugs, can aid rapid implementation of treatment algorithms. The pivotal roles of patients' associations in the general support of patients and those close to them, and in facilitating the link with healthcare professionals, are highlighted in this perspective piece.
Keywords: BRAF V600E metastatic colorectal cancer; Caregiver; Metastatic; Oncology; Patient perspective.
This article has been co-authored by a French patient with BRAFV600E metastatic colorectal cancer since December 2020, his caregiver, and an oncologist, a French physician currently based at the Institut Paoli-Calmettes in Marseille. Metastatic colorectal cancer is characterized by a high number of genetic mutations, each being associated with a different prognosis and response to treatment. Around 8–12% of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer will present with a BRAF mutation in their tumour, the majority of which are V600E, leading to a poor response to standard chemotherapy and short overall survival. The patient and caregiver discuss their personal experiences of struggling with BRAFV600E metastatic colorectal cancer, including their fears and expectations, as the disease progresses. The patient is currently receiving immunotherapy as his fifth line of treatment, while his caregiver actively communicates with patients’ associations to understand more about the disease and identify new treatment possibilities. The treatment lines received by the patient did not follow the usual treatment algorithms proposed in France for patients with BRAFV600E-mutated metastatic colorectal cancer. The caregiver sought a clinical trial for the patient’s third-line treatment from information provided by patients’ associations. Thus, patients’ associations play a key role in the general support of patients and those close to them, and in facilitating the link with healthcare professionals.
© 2023. The Author(s).