Severe toxicity of skin rash, fever and diarrhea associated with imatinib: case report and review of skin toxicities associated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Case report

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Authors: Xuan Huang, Samir Patel, Nasir Ahmed, Karen Seiter, Delong Liu

Published Date October 2008 Volume 2008:2 Pages 215 - 219

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/DDDT.S3843

Xuan Huang¹, Samir Patel², Nasir Ahmed², Karen Seiter², Delong Liu²

¹Department of Medicine, Richmond University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA; ²Division of Oncology and Hematology, New York Medical College and Westchester Medical Center, New York, NY, USA

Abstract: Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is characterized by a Philadelphia chromosome which contains an oncogene, bcr-abl. This oncogene encodes a tyrosine kinase which is constitutively activated. Imatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), has been widely used in the treatment of CML. Dasatinib and nilotinib were recently approved for the treatment of CML. Other TKIs, such as bosutinib, erlotinib, and sunitinib, are under study for the treatment of CML as well as other hematologic and solid malignancies. Skin rash has been reported as one of the most common side effects of the TKIs. Here we present a case of severe skin rash together with unusual symptoms of high fever and diarrhea induced by imatinib in a CML patient. The dermatologic toxicities from a variety of tyrosine kinase inhibitors are reviewed and general principles of management are also discussed.

Keywords: chronic myeloid leukemia, skin rash, tyrosine kinase inhibitor, imatinib