|
| LETTER TO EDITOR |
|
|
|
| Year : 2006 | Volume
: 72
| Issue : 1 | Page : 63-64 |
Imatinib-induced nail hyperpigmentation in chronic myeloid leukemia
K Prabhash, Ghanshyam Biswas, N Prasad, Narayan Karant, PSRK Sastry, PM Parikh
Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Correspondence Address:
K Prabhash
Tata Memorial Hospital, Parel, Mumbai 400012,Maharashtra
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0378-6323.19727
How to cite this article:
Prabhash K, Biswas G, Prasad N, Karant N, Sastry P, Parikh P M. Imatinib-induced nail hyperpigmentation in chronic myeloid leukemia. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol 2006;72:63-4 |
How to cite this URL:
Prabhash K, Biswas G, Prasad N, Karant N, Sastry P, Parikh P M. Imatinib-induced nail hyperpigmentation in chronic myeloid leukemia. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol [serial online] 2006 [cited 2021 Jan 24];72:63-4. Available from: https://www.ijdvl.com/text.asp?2006/72/1/63/19727 |
Sir,
Imatinib mesylate has revolutionized the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and has been recently approved as first-line treatment. Most of the patients receiving imatinib experience hematological or non-hematological side effects. Skin changes are the most common non-hematological toxicities but nail changes have not been described.[1] The prevalence and their relationship with the dose suggest a direct pharmacological effect of imatinib.[2] There is one report of hyperpigmentation of the skin owing to imatinib but no report of nail pigmentation alone.[3] We report on a patient with CML who developed hyperpigmentation of the nails while receiving imatinib.
A 40-year-old man presented with the complaint of heaviness in the abdomen in September 2003. He had splenomegaly of 8 cm below the costal margin. Bone marrow aspiration was suggestive of a chronic myeloproliferative disorder. The leukocyte alkaline phosphatase score was 5. A cytogenetic study showed that he was Philadelphia-chromosome-positive.
The patient was diagnosed as a case of chronic myeloid leukemia and was started on 400 mg/day imatinib. There was complete hematological response within 1 month and major cytogenetic response at 6 months. In January 2004, he noticed hyperpigmentation of the fingernails, which gradually increased. The pigmentation was initially brown in color but darkened with time. It started at the nail bed and gradually involved approximately two-thirds of the nails. The hyperpigmentation was darker in the middle of the nails than in the nail-bed area and tip. All fingernails were affected. Similar pigmentation was also present on the toenails but they were relatively less dark. There was no change in the color of the skin.
The common skin changes owing to imatinib are superficial skin edema, skin rashes, hypopigmentation, and pruritus.[1] Rarely, it can cause severe toxic epidermal necrolysis, acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis, and hyperpigmentation.[3],[4],[5] A study from India in CML patients on imatinib found 40.9% of them having hypopigmentation.[3] Hyperpigmentation of the skin owing to imatinib has been reported only once.[3] The median time of onset of the hypopigmentary changes is 4 weeks. Pigmentary changes (mainly hypopigmentation) are initially localized and then become diffuse after a few weeks or months. Such changes do not call for imatinib dose changes or interruption in treatment. These changes appear to be dose-related.[3]
Pigmentary changes in the nails have not been reported, but it is expected that the same mechanism as that for the skin pigmentary changes would be responsible. A molecular mechanism has been hypothesized for hypopigmentation. Imatinib targets tyrosine kinases of BCR-ABL, c -kit, and platelet-derived growth factor receptor-a. C-kit is normally expressed in skin basal cells, melanocytes, and epithelial cells of breast tissue, mast cells, and other cells.[3] It has a regulatory role in melanogenesis, melanocyte homeostasis, and pigmentation.[6] The molecular mechanism for hyperpigmentation is not known.
| References | |  |
| 1. | O'Brien SG, Guilhot F, Larson RA, Gathmann I, Baccarani M, Cervantes F, et al . Imatinib compared with interferon and low-dose cytarabine for newly diagnosed chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia. N Engl J Med 2003;348:994-1004.  |
| 2. | Valeyrie L, Bastuji-Garin S, Revuz J, Bachot N, Wechsler J, Berthaud P, et al . Adverse cutaneous reactions to imatinib (STI-571) in Philadelphia chromosome positive leukemias: a prospective study of 54 patients. J Am Acad Dermatol 2003;48:201-6. |
| 3. | Arora B, Kumar L, Sharma, Wadhwa J, Kochupillai V. Pigmentary changes in chronic myeloid leukemia patients treated with imatinib mesylate. Ann Oncol 2004;15:358-9. |
| 4. | Schaich M, Schakel K, Illmer T, Ehninger G, Bornhauser M. Severe epidermal necrolysis after treatment with imatinib and consecutive allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Ann Hematol 2003;82:303-4. |
| 5. | Schwarz M, Kreuzer KA, Baskaynak G, Dorken B, le Coutre P. Imatinib induces acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis in two patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. Eur J Hematol 2002;69:254-6. |
| 6. | Tsao AS, Kantarjian H, Cortes J, O' Brien S, Talpaz M. Imatinib mesylate causes hypopigmentation in the skin. Cancer 2003;98:2483-7. |
| This article has been cited by | | 1 |
Intraoral hyperpigmentation due to imatinib mesylate. A review of the literature |
|
| Nilesh Pancholi,Pankaj Taneja | | Oral Surgery. 2015; : n/a | | [Pubmed] | [DOI] | | | 2 |
Pigmentary changes in a patient treated with imatinib |
|
| Balagula, Y., Pulitzer, M.P., Maki, R.G., Myskowski, P.L. | | Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. 2011; 10(9): 1062-1066 | | [Pubmed] | | | 3 |
Imatinib induced facial skin hyperpigmentation in a case of chronic myelogenous leukemia |
|
| Valizadeh, N. | | Shiraz E Medical Journal. 2011; 12(3): 162-164 | | [Pubmed] | | | 4 |
Cutaneous toxicities due to small molecules |
|
| Matsumoto, K. | | Biotherapy. 2011; 25(2): 621-626 | | [Pubmed] | | | 5 |
Nail toxicity induced by cancer chemotherapy |
|
| Gilbar, P., Hain, A., Peereboom Veta-Marie, V.-M. | | Journal of Oncology Pharmacy Practice. 2009; 15(3): 143-155 | | [Pubmed] | | | 6 |
Secondary cutaneous effects of antineoplastic drugs (II): Kinase inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies | [Efectos secundarios cutáneos de los fármacos antineoplásicos (II): Inhibidores de cinasas y anticuerpos monoclonales] |
|
| Canosa, L.L., González, M.J.F., Pibernat, M.R. | | Piel. 2009; 24(8): 427-439 | | [Pubmed] | | | 7 |
Imatinib-associated hyperpigmentation, a side effect that should be recognized |
|
| Mcpherson, T., Sherman, V., Turner, R. | | ournal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. 2009; 23(1): 82-83 | | [Pubmed] | | | 8 |
Efectos secundarios cutáneos de los fármacos antineoplásicos (II): inhibidores de cinasas y anticuerpos monoclonales |
|
| Lorena Leal Canosa,María José Fuente González,Miquel Ribera Pibernat | | Piel. 2009; 24(8): 427 | | [Pubmed] | [DOI] | | | 9 |
Imatinib-associated hyperpigmentation, a side effect that should be recognized |
|
| T Mcpherson,V Sherman,R Turner | | Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. 2009; 23(1): 82 | | [Pubmed] | [DOI] | | | 10 |
Chemotherapeutic agents and the skin: An update |
|
| Noushin Heidary,Haley Naik,Susan Burgin | | Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2008; 58(4): 545 | | [Pubmed] | [DOI] | | | 11 |
Imatinib mesylate–induced repigmentation of vitiligo lesions in a patient with recurrent gastrointestinal stromal tumors |
|
| Yang-yang Yu, Yu-hong Wang, Hui Han | | Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2008; 59(5): S80 | | [VIEW] | [DOI] | | | 12 |
Imatinib mesylate-induced repigmentation of vitiligo lesions in a patient with recurrent gastrointestinal stromal tumors |
|
| Han, H., Yu, Y.-y., Wang, Y.-h. | | Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 59 (5 SUPPL.), pp. S80-S83. 2008; 59(5 Suppl): S80-S83 | | [Pubmed] | | | 13 |
Persistent cutaneous hyperpigmentation after tyrosine kinase inhibition with imatinib for GIST |
|
| Alexandrescu, D.T., Dasanu, C.A., Farzanmehr, H., Kauffman, C.L. | | Dermatology Online Journal. 2008; 14(7): Art 8 | | [Pubmed] | | | 14 |
Chemotherapeutic agents and the skin: An update |
|
| Heidary, N., Naik, H., Burgin, S. | | Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2008; 58(4): 545-570 | | [Pubmed] | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
