Complete response in a melanoma patient treated with imatinib.

BACKGROUND

Imatinib therapy has been successful in gastrointestinal stromal tumours containing mutation of the KIT gene. However, there are few reported cases of successful imatinib therapy in patients with melanoma containing KIT gene mutation or c-kit protein expression.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A 52-year-old man developed metastatic melanoma from a primary melanoma in the left side of the nasopharynx. The tumour was positive for c-kit protein, and there was a KIT mutation in exon 11. He was treated with imatinib. A follow-up scan one year later showed a complete response. Treatment targeting the biological characteristics of melanoma proved successful in this patient.