title: Severe pan-uveitis in a patient treated with vemurafenib for metastatic melanoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vemurafenib, an inhibitor of genetically activated BRAF, is now commonly prescribed for metastatic melanoma harboring a BRAF mutation. Reports on side effects have focused on cutaneous complications. We here present a case of a severe pan-uveitis associated with vemurafenib use.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 63-year old female was treated with the BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib for metastatic melanoma. After seven weeks of treatment, she developed near-complete visual loss in the course of a few days, as a result of severe uveitis. Vemurafenib had to be discontinued and systemic and topical corticosteroids were initiated. The visual symptoms improved slowly, however the cerebral metastases progressed and the patient died from her disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with vemurafenib has become an important component of standard clinical care for patients with metastatic melanoma. In addition, it is one of the best examples of genotype-directed therapy. This case illustrates that vemurafenib-induced uveitis can develop fast and be slow to resolve. Awareness of this potentially severe side effect is of major importance to oncologists and aggressive treatment should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands. MS.vd.Heijden@nki.nl.
authors.forename: Sanne E J
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meenken
authors.forename: Annette C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Moll
authors.forename: John B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Haanen
authors.forename: Michiel S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: van der Heijden
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014605:Uveitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000077484:Vemurafenib
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007211:Indoles; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000077484:Vemurafenib