Development of myasthenia gravis in a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia during treatment with nilotinib

• Main Authors: David Sanford, Maria MacDonald, Michael Nicolle, Anargyros Xenocostas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: PAGEPress Publications 2014-06-01
• Series: Hematology Reports
• Subjects: chronic myeloid leukemia, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, adverse drug events
• Online Access: http://www.pagepress.org/journals/index.php/hr/article/view/5288
• ISSN: 2038-8322; 2038-8330

We report on a patient diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who developed myasthenia gravis while on treatment with nilotinib. Autoimmune disease, including the development of myasthenia gravis, has been described in association with CML as well as the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Second generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors are highly effective in the treatment of CML, although can result in adverse effects related to off-target kinase inhibition, and longer term reporting of adverse effects is required.