Progressive thrombosis of cervical and intracranial arteries related to Ponatinib treatment for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2020 Sep;29(9):105085. doi: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2020.105085. Epub 2020 Jul 3.

Abstract

Ponatinib is a third-generation Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (TKI), approved as first-line treatment for Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML) chronic phase. Here we describe a CML patient with a history of subsequent TIAs and an ischemic stroke during Ponatinib treatment. Patient was admitted for a 3-day history of sudden onset left hemiparesis due to an acute ischemic stroke. MRI showed bilaterally the almost total absence of signal in the intracranial tract of anterior circulation and low signal of cerebral posterior circulation. Digital Subtraction Angiography showed multiple steno-occlusions of both anterior and posterior circulation large vessels. The association between cerebrovascular events and TKIs of second and third-generation has been widely described. So Ponatinib was stopped. To our knowledge, this is the first case of multiple ischemic strokes and recurrent TIAs during treatment with Ponatinib, pointing out the importance of accurate quantification of cardiovascular risk before starting Ponatinib.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / adverse effects*
  • Clinical Decision-Making
  • Humans
  • Imidazoles / adverse effects*
  • Intracranial Thrombosis / chemically induced*
  • Intracranial Thrombosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Ischemic Attack, Transient / chemically induced*
  • Ischemic Attack, Transient / diagnostic imaging
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / diagnosis
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / drug therapy*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Selection
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / adverse effects*
  • Pyridazines / adverse effects*
  • Recurrence
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors
  • Stroke / chemically induced*
  • Stroke / diagnostic imaging
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Imidazoles
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Pyridazines
  • ponatinib