Correspondence

Imatinib Mesylate and Gray Hair

N Engl J Med 2002; 347:446August 8, 2002

Article

To the Editor:

The impressive effects of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor STI571 (imatinib mesylate) in chronic myeloid leukemia were confirmed in the large trial by Kantarjian et al. (Feb. 28 issue).1 We would like to report a new side effect of the drug.

Between December 1999 and June 2001, we treated 133 patients with chronic myeloid leukemia with imatinib mesylate according to Novartis Pharma protocols.1,2 Among these 133 patients, 5 men and 4 women (median age, 63.4 years; range, 53 to 75) with gray hair before treatment had progressive repigmentation of the hair (on the head in 8 patients and on the body and head in 1) during treatment. The median time between the end of interferon alfa therapy and the start of treatment with imatinib mesylate was 5.7 months (range, 0.5 to 42). Hair repigmentation occurred after a median of 5 months (range, 2 to 14) of treatment with imatinib mesylate.

How imatinib mesylate might induce hair repigmentation is a mystery. We would be interested to know whether other groups have observed this peculiar side effect.

Gabriel Etienne, M.D.
Pascale Cony-Makhoul, M.D.
François-Xavier Mahon, M.D., Ph.D.
Université Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, 33076 Bordeaux, France
francois-xavier.mahon@umr5540.u-bordeaux2.fr

2 References

1. 1

   Kantarjian H, Sawyers C, Hochhaus A, et al. Hematologic and cytogenetic responses to imatinib mesylate in chronic myelogenous leukemia. N Engl J Med 2002;346:645-652
   Full Text | Web of Science | Medline

2. 2

   Talpaz M, Silver RT, Druker BJ, et al. Imatinib induces durable hematologic and cytogenetic responses in patients with accelerated phase chronic myeloid leukemia: results of a phase 2 study. Blood 2002;99:1928-1937
   CrossRef | Web of Science | Medline

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   IRIS AMITAY-LAISH, SALOMON M. STEMMER, MARIO E. LACOUTURE. (2011) Adverse cutaneous reactions secondary to tyrosine kinase inhibitors including imatinib mesylate, nilotinib, and dasatinib. Dermatologic Therapy 24:4, 386-395
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