Complete response in a melanoma patient treated with imatinib

J Laryngol Otol. 2012 Jun;126(6):638-40. doi: 10.1017/S0022215112000527.

Abstract

Background: Imatinib therapy has been successful in gastrointestinal stromal tumours containing mutation of the KIT gene. However, there are few reported cases of successful imatinib therapy in patients with melanoma containing KIT gene mutation or c-kit protein expression.

Methods and results: A 52-year-old man developed metastatic melanoma from a primary melanoma in the left side of the nasopharynx. The tumour was positive for c-kit protein, and there was a KIT mutation in exon 11. He was treated with imatinib. A follow-up scan one year later showed a complete response. Treatment targeting the biological characteristics of melanoma proved successful in this patient.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Benzamides
  • Exons / genetics
  • Gene Expression
  • Humans
  • Imatinib Mesylate
  • Male
  • Melanoma / drug therapy*
  • Melanoma / genetics
  • Melanoma / secondary*
  • Middle Aged
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / genetics
  • Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Piperazines / administration & dosage
  • Piperazines / therapeutic use*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / genetics*
  • Pyrimidines / administration & dosage
  • Pyrimidines / therapeutic use*
  • Remission Induction
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Benzamides
  • Piperazines
  • Pyrimidines
  • Imatinib Mesylate
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit