Exacerbation of Kaposi sarcoma following BRAF/MEK inhibitor therapy in a melanoma patient: a case report and mechanistic insight

Antonios Tsimpidakis; Ioannis-Alexios Koumprentziotis; Evanthia Mastoraki; Michaella Plaka; Helen Gogas; Alexander Stratigos; Vasiliki Nikolaou

doi:10.1097/CMR.0000000000000991

Exacerbation of Kaposi sarcoma following BRAF/MEK inhibitor therapy in a melanoma patient: a case report and mechanistic insight

Melanoma Res. 2024 Oct 1;34(5):469-471. doi: 10.1097/CMR.0000000000000991. Epub 2024 Jul 22.

Authors

Antonios Tsimpidakis¹, Ioannis-Alexios Koumprentziotis¹, Evanthia Mastoraki¹, Michaella Plaka¹, Helen Gogas², Alexander Stratigos¹, Vasiliki Nikolaou¹

Affiliations

¹ First Department of Dermatology-Venereology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 'A. Sygros' Hospital for Skin and Venereal Diseases.
² First Department of Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.

PMID: 39037715
DOI: 10.1097/CMR.0000000000000991

Abstract

We present a case of a 75-year-old male patient who experienced a severe exacerbation of his Kaposi sarcoma lesions, which have remained clinically stable for a year, following treatment with BRAF/mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors for his coexisting melanoma. In this case, we present the possibility that BRAF/MEK inhibition may be mechanistically associated with the progression of Kaposi sarcoma and briefly discuss the potential mechanisms behind this phenomenon.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Aged
Humans
Male
Melanoma* / drug therapy
Protein Kinase Inhibitors* / adverse effects
Protein Kinase Inhibitors* / therapeutic use
Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf* / antagonists & inhibitors
Sarcoma, Kaposi* / drug therapy
Skin Neoplasms* / drug therapy
Skin Neoplasms* / pathology

Substances

Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf
Protein Kinase Inhibitors
BRAF protein, human