RAS mutation leading to acquired resistance to dabrafenib and trametinib therapy in a multiple myeloma patient harboring BRAF mutation

Abstract

Multiple myeloma (MM) is still considered incurable and new therapeutic approaches are therefore needed. Deep-sequencing analysis revealed the presence of BRAF mutations in up to 15% of patients. The clinical experience of BRAF-targeted therapy in myeloma patients harboring BRAF mutation is still limited. We here report the case of a patient with penta-refractory (bortezomib, lenalidomide, carfilzomib, pomalidomide, and daratumumab) MM with extramedullary BRAF-mutated disease that achieved clinical response to dual BRAF and MEK inhibition. At the time of disease progression, gene sequencing analysis of the tumor at the time of progression demonstrated a clonal evolution with emergence of a NRAS mutation and persistence of BRAF and TP53 mutations. Backtracking of the NRAS mutation was performed by digital polymerase chain reaction on the baseline biopsy and identified the pre-existence of the NRAS at a subclonal level. This observation is the first report of acquired NRAS mutation leading to resistance to dual BRAF/MEK inhibitors in MM. These data suggest that a systematic search for RAS mutations using highly sensitive techniques should be performed before considering targeted therapy in relapsed myeloma with BRAF mutation.