Cutaneous manifestations in chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase treated with imatinib

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to see the patterns of skin changes in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in chronic phase treated with different doses of imatinib. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Oncology Department of Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, over a period of 6 months. Patients aged 7-70 years diagnosed either by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for BCR-ABL or cytogenetics for Philadelphia (Ph) chromosomes and consuming different doses of imatinib for the treatment of CML were randomly selected. Skin manifestations were analyzed and recorded on a predesigned proforma by a dermatologist. RESULTS: A total of 132 patients were enrolled; 65 male (49.24%) and 67 female (50.75%). Periorbital edema was found in 48.5% of cases, and hyperpigmentaion and melasma were found in 76.5% of cases. Pruritus was diagnosed in 6.8% of cases, alopecia in 5.3% of cases, and photosensitivity in 43.9% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that imatinib is associated with many adverse cutaneous side effects which should be overcome or reduced by either decreasing the duration of treatment with imatinib or switching to other treatment options.