title: Risk of selected dermatological toxicities in cancer patients treated with MEK inhibitors: a comparative systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This meta-analysis was conducted aiming at assessing the risk of selected dermatological toxicities associated with MEK inhibitors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We considered relevant prospective randomized Phase II and III trials of cancer patients on the three MEK inhibitors (trametinib, selumetinib and cobimetinib), describing events of skin rash and acneiform dermatitis, as eligible for inclusion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After exclusion of ineligible studies, a total of 14 clinical trials were considered eligible for the meta-analysis. The relative risk of all-grade skin rash and acneiform dermatitis was 1.71 (95% CI: 1.07-2.72; p = 0.02) and 6.55 (95% CI: 3.42-12.56; p < 0.00001), correspondingly; while the relative risk of high-grade skin rash and acneiform dermatitis was 2.64 (95% CI: 1.42-4.91; p = 0.002) and 8.44 (95% CI: 2.39-29.81; p = 0.0009), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our meta-analysis has demonstrated that MEK inhibitor-based treatment is associated with an increased risk of all-grade and high-grade skin rash and acneiform dermatitis compared with control.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Oncology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Abdel-Rahman
authors.affiliation: Clinical Oncology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hesham
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: ElHalawani
authors.affiliation: Clinical Oncology Department, Nasser Institute, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hoda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ahmed
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012306:Risk; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases
keywords: MEK; acneiform dermatitis; cobimetinib; dermatitis; lung cancer; melanoma; rash; selumetinib; squamous cell carcinoma; trametinib