Clinical responses observed with imatinib or sorafenib in melanoma patients expressing mutations in KIT.
BACKGROUND
Mutations in KIT are more frequent in specific melanoma subtypes, and response to KIT inhibition is likely to depend on the identified mutation.


METHODS
A total of 32 patients with metastatic acral or mucosal melanoma were screened for mutations in KIT exons 11, 13 and 17.


RESULTS
KIT mutations were found in 38% of mucosal and in 6% of acral melanomas. Three patients were treated with imatinib and one with sorafenib. All four patients responded to treatment, but three have since progressed within the brain.


CONCLUSIONS
The observed clinical responses support further investigation of KIT inhibitors in metastatic melanoma, selected according to KIT mutation status.
Handolias
D
D
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Hamilton
A L
AL
Salemi
R
R
Tan
A
A
Moodie
K
K
Kerr
L
L
Dobrovic
A
A
McArthur
G A
GA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001549:Benzamides; D001557:Benzenesulfonates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009536:Niacinamide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000235:genetics; D011725:Pyridines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D000077157:Sorafenib
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D001557:Benzenesulfonates; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; D010879:Piperazines; D011725:Pyridines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D009536:Niacinamide; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D000077157:Sorafenib; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit