{"entity":{"id":"paper-beacon-crc-kopetz-nejm-2019","kind":"paper","name":"BEACON CRC: encorafenib and cetuximab with or without binimetinib in BRAF V600E-mutated colorectal cancer","aka":[],"tldr":"Blocking BRAF with encorafenib and EGFR with cetuximab lengthened survival compared with standard chemotherapy in previously treated BRAF V600E-mutant colorectal cancer, the first targeted regimen to work in this poor-prognosis group.","summary":"Phase 3 trial of 665 patients with BRAF V600E-mutated metastatic colorectal cancer after one or two prior regimens randomised to encorafenib, binimetinib and cetuximab (triplet), encorafenib and cetuximab (doublet), or investigator's choice of irinotecan-based chemotherapy with cetuximab.\n\nMedian overall survival was 9.0 months with the triplet and 8.4 months with the doublet against 5.4 months with control; response rates were 26 and 20 percent against 2 percent. The MEK inhibitor added little, so the doublet was approved.","asOf":"2026-09-17","links":[{"label":"N Engl J Med 2019","url":"https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1908075"},{"label":"PubMed","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31566309/"}],"tags":[],"related":[],"cancers":["braf-v600e-colorectal"],"sections":[],"technologies":[],"targets":[],"drugs":["binimetinib","cetuximab","encorafenib"],"companies":[],"institutions":[],"pathways":[],"terms":[],"trials":["beacon-crc"],"people":[],"bottlenecks":[],"keyPapers":[],"journals":["nejm"],"dependsOn":[],"notes":[],"journal":"New England Journal of Medicine","year":2019,"doi":"10.1056/NEJMoa1908075","pmid":"31566309","authors":"Kopetz S, Grothey A, Yaeger R, et al.","paperType":"rct","findings":["Median overall survival 9.0 (triplet) and 8.4 (doublet) vs 5.4 months (control).","Objective response 26 percent, 20 percent and 2 percent."],"whatItMeans":"Encorafenib-cetuximab became the standard second-line treatment for BRAF V600E colorectal cancer, and BREAKWATER has since moved the combination, with chemotherapy, into first line.","caveats":["Responses are short-lived compared with BRAF-targeted therapy in melanoma.","Control arm chemotherapy performed poorly."],"changedPractice":true,"participants":665},"route":"/key-papers/paper-beacon-crc-kopetz-nejm-2019/","neighbours":{"cancer":[{"id":"braf-v600e-colorectal","kind":"cancer","name":"BRAF V600E-mutant colorectal cancer","route":"/cancers/braf-v600e-colorectal/"}],"drug":[{"id":"binimetinib","kind":"drug","name":"Binimetinib","route":"/drugs/binimetinib/"},{"id":"cetuximab","kind":"drug","name":"Cetuximab","route":"/drugs/cetuximab/"},{"id":"encorafenib","kind":"drug","name":"Encorafenib","route":"/drugs/encorafenib/"}],"trial":[{"id":"beacon-crc","kind":"trial","name":"BEACON CRC","route":"/trials/beacon-crc/"}],"journal":[{"id":"nejm","kind":"journal","name":"New England Journal of Medicine","route":"/journals/nejm/"}]}}