Drug-Induced and Malignancy-Associated Neutrophilic Dermatoses in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies: A Single Institution Experience

Abstract

Introduction: Neutrophilic dermatoses (NDs) often occur secondary to inflammatory conditions, medication exposure, and hematologic malignancy. While malignancy-associated NDs (MA-NDs) have been well-reported among those with hematologic cancers, little is known about drug-induced NDs (DI-NDs) within this population. The objective of this study is to compare the presentations and outcomes of patients with hematologic malignancies who developed MA-NDs and DI-NDs. Methods: Cases of neutrophilic dermatosis (ND) occurring between 2013 and 2023 among those with hematologic malignancies were identified from the electronic medical records of our institution. Patient characteristics, recent medication exposures, cancer mutations, and disease outcomes were reviewed. Patients were categorized with drug-induced ND (DI-ND) if they were recently exposed to one of four medications known to be commonly associated with ND or were otherwise categorized with malignancy-associated ND (MA-ND). We report a descriptive analysis of cases of DI-ND and MA-ND. Results: We identified 52 patients with ND and co-occurring hematologic malignancy including 16 cases of DI-ND (30.8%) and 36 cases of MA-ND (69.2%). The most common ND in both groups was Sweet’s syndrome. Chronic underlying conditions including solid tumors, inflammatory disorders, chronic viral infection, and tobacco use were more common among those with MA-ND. Among those with DI-ND, tyrosine kinase inhibitors were the most commonly associated drugs (43.8%). The most common cancer mutation among those with DI-ND was FLT3 (43.8%) while the most common mutation among those with MA-ND was TP-53 (19.4%). Among those who had died at the time of data collection, 90.0% of those with DI-ND and 66.7% of those with MA-ND died within one year of ND diagnosis. Conclusion: Most cases of ND occurring with hematologic malignancies develop secondary to cancer rather than drug exposure. Different cancer mutations may predispose to DI-ND and MA-ND. Further research is needed to establish diagnostic criteria for DI-ND and to determine the pathogenic role of specific cancer mutations, particularly FLT3, in the development of ND.