Faculty Collaboration Database

Cutaneous reactions in children treated with MEK inhibitors, BRAF inhibitors, or combination therapy: A multicenter study. J Am Acad Dermatol 2021 Jun;84(6):1554-1561

Date

07/20/2020

Pubmed ID

32682884

DOI

10.1016/j.jaad.2020.07.044

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85101647430 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   24 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Treatment with BRAF inhibitors (BRAFI) and MEK inhibitors (MEKI) causes cutaneous reactions in children, limiting dosing or resulting in treatment cessation. The spectrum and severity of these reactions is not defined.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency and spectrum of cutaneous reactions in children receiving BRAFI and MEKI and their effects on continued therapy.

METHODS: A multicenter, retrospective study was conducted at 11 clinical sites in the United States and Canada enrolling 99 children treated with BRAFI and/or MEKI for any indication from January 1, 2012, to January 1, 2018.

RESULTS: All children in this study had a cutaneous reaction; most had multiple, with a mean per patient of 3.5 reactions on BRAFI, 3.7 on MEKI, and 3.4 on combination BRAFI/MEKI. Three patients discontinued treatment because of a cutaneous reaction. Treatment was altered in 27% of patients on BRAFI, 39.5% on MEKI, and 33% on combination therapy. The cutaneous reactions most likely to alter treatment were dermatitis, panniculitis, and keratosis pilaris-like reactions for BRAFI and dermatitis, acneiform eruptions, and paronychia for MEKI.

CONCLUSIONS: Cutaneous reactions are common in children receiving BRAFI and MEKI, and many result in alterations or interruptions in oncologic therapy. Implementing preventative strategies at the start of therapy may minimize cutaneous reactions.

Author List

Boull CL, Gardeen S, Abdali T, Li E, Potts J, Rubin N, Carlberg VM, Gupta D, Hunt R, Luu M, Maguiness SM, Moertel CL, Song H, Vivar KL, Coughlin C, Huang JT, Lara-Corrales I

Author

Valerie M. Carlberg MD Associate Professor in the Dermatology department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adolescent
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols
Canada
Child
Child, Preschool
Drug Eruptions
Female
Humans
Infant
Male
Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases
Neoplasms
Paronychia
Protein Kinase Inhibitors
Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf
Retrospective Studies
United States