Malignant melanoma during treatment with fumaric acid esters - coincidence or treatment-related?

Psoriasis Therapy and Skin Cancer: A Review

INTRODUCTION

psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated disease that is associated with several comorbidities, including an increased risk of malignancies, particularly skin cancer. A large number of studies have investigated whether psoriasis itself, psoriasis-associated comorbidities, or psoriasis treatment could lead to an increased risk of neoplasms.

METHODS

we reviewed the literature using the most important databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, ETHERIA). All articles pertaining to skin cancer associated with psoriasis disease and psoriasis therapy were included. In this review, we also discuss some of the potential underlying mechanisms for these associations, particularly regarding the multiple psoriasis therapies currently available, and their possible implications in higher incidences of skin cancer in these patients.

CONCLUSION

evidence suggests that these patients might have a higher risk of cutaneous malignancies, especially for NMSC, compared with psoriasis-free patients. The reasons for this increased risk remain to be determined. However, high dose PUVA therapy, the immunosuppressive treatments used, and the comorbidities and habits frequently described in these patients seem to play a role in the pathogenesis of these tumors. Because of these facts, periodic screening for skin cancer is recommended in this population.

Fumaric acid esters for psoriasis: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Effective and safe long term treatment options are required to manage the illness successfully. A number of systemic agents are available, however, each of them has potentially significant side effects. Fumaric acid esters (FAE) are used first line in Germany for the management of moderate to severe psoriasis, however, their use in Ireland is on an unlicensed basis (Clinical and Experimental Dermatology 37:786-801, 2012).

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this literature review is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of FAEs in the management of moderate to severe psoriasis in adult patients. The reviewer intends to systematically review all available literature on the efficacy and/or safety of fumaric acid esters in the management of moderate to severe psoriasis in adult patients.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature was performed by one reviewer. The PubMed, TRIP, Embase, and Cochrane Collaboration databases were systematically interrogated to include randomised controlled trials, cohort studies and case studies evaluating the efficacy and/or safety of FAEs in the management of moderate to severe psoriasis in adult patients. Inclusion criteria were studies which included adults over 18 years of age, with a diagnosis of moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis, who were treated with FAEs and no other systemic anti-psoriatic agents concurrently. Exclusion criteria were studies involving children, mild psoriasis, studies which did not include patients with chronic plaque psoriasis, the use of FAE for the management of illnesses other than psoriasis, and patients treated with more than one systemic anti-psoriatic agent concurrently.

RESULTS

In total 19 articles were selected for review including 2 randomised placebo controlled trials, 1 non-randomised comparative study, 7 retrospective cohort studies, 2 prospective cohort studies and 7 case studies. The findings suggest that FAEs are a safe and effective treatment option for the management of moderate to severe psoriasis in adult patients. Gastrointestinal side effects may occur on treatment initiation and may be minimised by slow dose titration. Lymphocytopenia and eosinophilia are common, however, they are rarely of significance and there is no high level of evidence available to suggest a resultant increased risk of infection or malignancy. Rarely alterations of renal and hepatic function may occur, however, these are largely reversible on treatment withdrawal.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the use of FAE in the management of moderate to severe psoriasis is a promising treatment option, especially for those patients intolerant of, or unresponsive to other agents. If blood parameters are closely monitored during treatment as per the European Medicine Agencies guidelines (European Medicines Agency, 'Updated recommendations to minimise the risk of the rare brain infection PML with Tecfidera', http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/Press_release/2015/10/WC500196017.pdf , 2015) they may be safely used in practice. The licensing of FAEs in Ireland for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis would be desirable, increasing available treatment options.

Fumaric acid esters in the management of psoriasis

Fumaric acid esters (FAE) are small molecules with immunomodulating, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidative effects. FAE were introduced as a systemic psoriasis treatment in 1959 and empirically developed further between 1970 and 1990 in Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. The development of FAE as psoriasis treatment did not follow the traditional drug development phases. Nonetheless, in 1994 FAE were approved in Germany for the treatment of severe plaque psoriasis. FAE are currently one of the most commonly used treatments in Germany, and FAE are increasingly being used as an unlicensed treatment in several other European countries. To date, six randomized controlled trials and 29 observational studies have evaluated FAE in a combined total of 3,439 patients. The efficacy and safety profile of FAE is favorable. About 50%–70% of patients achieve at least 75% improvement in psoriasis severity after 16 weeks of treatment. Common adverse events of FAE include gastrointestinal complaints and flushing symptoms, which lead to treatment discontinuation in up to 40% of patients. Lymphocytopenia, eosinophilia, and proteinuria are commonly observed during FAE treatment, but rarely require treatment discontinuation. The long-term safety profile of continuous FAE treatment is favorable without an increased risk for infections, malignancies, or other serious adverse events. There are no known drug-interactions for FAE. The 2009 European evidence-based S3-guidelines on psoriasis treatment recommend FAE and suggest it as a first-line systemic treatment for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. This review is aimed to give an overview of FAE treatment in the management of psoriasis.

Psoriatic arthritis with acral lentiginous melanoma: role for methotrexate?

A 50-year-old male with psoriatic arthritis since 20 years and on methotrexate since 12 years developed an asymptomatic black patch over his right sole of two years duration. On examination, patient had scaly plaque over the body and extremities with severe mutilating arthropathy of distal joints. There was a hyperpigmented patch over the right sole with surface and color irregularities. A possible diagnosis of acral lentiginous melanoma was made which was confirmed by biopsy. Methotrexate can induce malignancies due to immunosuppression. Here, we present a patient of psoriatic arthritis on long term methotrexate developing malignant melanoma.

Dimethyl fumarate - only an anti-psoriatic medication?

Fumaric acid esters have been used successfully in the therapy of psoriasis vulgaris since 1959. In the last 17 years, many of the underlying mechanisms of anti-psoriatic action, such as a Th1/Th2 shift, a suppression of important leukocyte adhesion molecules, the induction of pro-apoptotic pathways in T-cells and recently anti-angiogenic action, have been discovered. Based on the knowledge of these immunomodulatory characteristics, fumaric acid esters have been shown to be effective or potentially effective in a multitude of dermatological as well as non-dermatological diseases. The range of new therapeutic targets reaches from multiple sclerosis to illnesses such as necrobiosis lipoidica, granuloma annulare and sarcoidosis. Experimental approaches offer promising, although preliminary, results on the treatment of cancer, malaria, chronic inflammatory lung diseases, and Huntington disease, to name but a few. This valued and well-known drug mainly prescribed by dermatologists is now experiencing a renaissance far beyond dermatologic applications.