Imatinib targeting of KIT-mutant oncoprotein in melanoma

Metastatic melanoma is an aggressive treatment-refractory malignancy. Recently, c-Kit mutations were discovered in certain mucosal melanomas. A clinical trial was initiated with the c-Kit inhibitor imatinib mesylate. The first treated patient experienced dramatic clinical improvement within days, followed by major responses by PET/CT four weeks later at all sites of metastatic disease. Several established mucosal melanoma cell lines exhibited imatinib sensitivity in a fashion correlating with c-Kit mutational status. Although c-Kit mutations are uncommon in cutaneous melanoma, they may arise in geographically distinct subsets for whom use of c-Kit targeted kinase inhibition should be considered in a rational therapeutic approach. Keywords: Whole genome copy number analysis Copy number analysis using high-density SNP arrays to investigate genetic gains and losses involved in the genesis of mucosal and cutaneous melanoma. GSE8164_raw_copy_number_calls.xls contains raw copy number calls generated by dChip (build 5/2007) for GIST, K008, K029, M34, MEL1, MEL40, M6, and 5 Affymetrix controls (copy number identity 2 i.e. normal), which are available on the HapMAP site.