Background: The development of vitiligo has been associated with an improved clinical response in melanoma patients.
Methods: We report a case of vitiligo associated with a novel antisurvivin drug and review the literature to determine the pathogenesis of vitiligo occurring during melanoma treatment.
Results: A 78-year-old man with stage IV malignant melanoma developed vitiligo after the first therapeutic cycle of a novel antisurvivin drug. Although his vitiligo remained static, his melanoma continued to progress and he died in 8 months. A review of the literature demonstrates a relationship between vitiligo development and improved clinical response in many melanoma cases treated with immunotherapy; however, the relationship may depend on the type of treatment.
Conclusions: Understanding complex immune responses in vitiliginous skin and melanoma sites is important in order to interpret the development of vitiligo occurring during melanoma treatment.