Cutaneous leucoclastic vasculitis (LV) following bortezomib therapy in a myeloma patient; association with pro-inflammatory cytokines.

:  The proteasome inhibitor, bortezomib, has anti-myeloma activity even in myeloma cells refractory to multiple prior treatments. Bortezomib blocks the production of nuclear factor-κB (NFκB)-mediated pro-inflammatory cytokines. We report a patient with myeloma who developed a cutaneous leucoclastic vasculitis (LV) after bortezomib treatment. The patient with LV exhibited a marked increase in serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and C-reactive protein (CRP). Bortezomib administration may enhance the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which might play a role in bortezomib-induced cutaneous LV.