Abstract
Importance:
MEK inhibitors are being evaluated in clinical trials for treatment of different malignant neoplasms; trametinib dimethyl sulfoxide was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for melanoma in 2013. We present 3 cases of patients receiving MEK inhibitors who developed an atypical eruption.
Observations:
Three patients who were receiving different MEK inhibitors (selumetinib, cobimetinib, and trametinib) developed an eruption, all associated with unique duskiness. Drug hypersensitivity was confirmed by histopathologic testing in 2 of the 3 cases. The skin eruption responded well to corticosteroids and did not recur when treatment with the MEK inhibitor was restarted in 2 of the patients.
Conclusions and relevance:
The typical skin reaction associated with MEK inhibitors is a papulopustular eruption. To our knowledge, the dusky erythema that occurred in the 3 patients described here has not previously been reported for this drug class.
MeSH terms
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Adult
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Azetidines / adverse effects*
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Azetidines / pharmacology
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Azetidines / therapeutic use
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Benzimidazoles / adverse effects*
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Benzimidazoles / pharmacology
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Benzimidazoles / therapeutic use
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Drug Eruptions / etiology*
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Drug Eruptions / pathology
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Erythema / chemically induced
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Erythema / pathology
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Female
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Glucocorticoids / therapeutic use
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Humans
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Male
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Melanoma / drug therapy
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Middle Aged
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Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors
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Piperidines / adverse effects*
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Piperidines / pharmacology
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Piperidines / therapeutic use
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Protein Kinase Inhibitors / adverse effects
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Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
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Protein Kinase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
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Pyridones / adverse effects*
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Pyridones / pharmacology
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Pyridones / therapeutic use
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Pyrimidinones / adverse effects*
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Pyrimidinones / pharmacology
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Pyrimidinones / therapeutic use
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Skin Neoplasms / drug therapy
Substances
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AZD 6244
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Azetidines
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Benzimidazoles
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Glucocorticoids
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Piperidines
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Protein Kinase Inhibitors
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Pyridones
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Pyrimidinones
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trametinib
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Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases
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cobimetinib