Pimasertib-associated ophthalmological adverse events

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Oncology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Metastatic cutaneous melanoma (CM) treatment often involves targeted therapies.
• Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitors are a class of drugs used in cancer therapy.
• Ophthalmological side effects can impact patient quality of life and treatment adherence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the ophthalmological adverse events associated with pimasertib, a MEK inhibitor.
• To investigate the incidence and characteristics of eye-related side effects in patients with metastatic CM treated with pimasertib.

Main Methods:

• Prospective observational, cohort-based, cross-sectional study.
• Eight patients with metastatic CM treated with pimasertib underwent comprehensive ophthalmic examinations.
• Ophthalmic assessments included visual acuity, visual fields, slit-lamp exams, tonometry, fundus photography, and optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Main Results:

• All patients developed serous subretinal fluid (SRF) within 9-27 days of treatment initiation.
• Foveal involvement occurred in 75% of patients; however, most with foveal SRF remained asymptomatic.
• SRF resolved or decreased in all patients, even with continued pimasertib treatment. One patient experienced retinal vein occlusion (RVO) with visual complaints, successfully treated with bevacizumab.

Conclusions:

• Pimasertib treatment for metastatic CM poses a high risk for ocular adverse events, including serous retinopathy and potentially RVO.
• Regular ophthalmological monitoring, including OCT, is essential during pimasertib therapy.
• Despite potential for severe events, SRF often does not cause symptoms and may resolve spontaneously.