Publication by Aloia et al.: A fatty acid oxidation-dependent metabolic shift regulates the adaptation of BRAF-mutated melanoma to MAPK inhibitors

Treatment of BRAF-mutant melanomas with MAPK inhibitors (MAPKi) results in tumor regression but acquired resistance is pervasive. During the initial treatment phase, a metabolic shift marked by decreased glycolysis and increased fatty acid oxidation (FAO) occurs to survive MAPKi-induced metabolic stress prior to acquiring drug resistance. A triple combination of MAPK, FAO, and glycolytic inhibitors might be a clinically relevant therapeutic approach to improve initial responses to MAPKi.