MEK Inhibitor

A MEK inhibitor is a type of targeted cancer therapy drug that blocks the activity of MEK1 and MEK2 proteins (short for mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase).

Here’s the breakdown:

• MEK1/2 are enzymes in the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway, which is one of the body’s main cell growth and survival pathways.

• In many cancers, mutations in genes like BRAF or RAS cause this pathway to stay permanently “switched on,” leading to uncontrolled tumor cell growth.

• MEK inhibitors stop MEK from sending those growth signals downstream, which can slow or stop cancer cell proliferation.

Examples of MEK inhibitors include:

• Trametinib (Mekinist)

• Cobimetinib (Cotellic)

• Binimetinib (Mektovi)

• Selumetinib (Koselugo)

They are often used in combination with other targeted drugs (like BRAF inhibitors) to improve effectiveness and reduce resistance.

Pro tip: The Inhibitor Buddies group on Facebook has been a tremendous resource to me in navigating different drugs, symptoms, and side effects.