Tyrosine kinase inhibitor as a cause of palatal pigmentation

Abstract

Imatinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor drug widely used in the treatment of patients diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia and some gastrointestinal tumors. We report the case of a 56-year-old female patient, Caucasian, who has been taking Imatinib for 11 years as therapy for previously diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia. Upon intraoral physical examination, an extensive, asymptomatic blue-grey pigmentation was observed on the hard palate, which was subjected to an incisional biopsy. The biopsy revealed a lamina propria composed of dense connective tissue, brownish pigments, and a granular appearance interspersed with collagen fiber, in intimate contact with fusiform and dendritic cells. The patient was informed about the diagnosis, and that treatment is not required.