Donnell C C, Walton R L, Carrozzo M. The blue palate - A case series of imatinib-related oral pigmentation and literature review. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol 2020; DOI: 10.1016/j.oooo.2020.10.015.

Imatinib is associated with hypo- and hyperpigmented lesions.

Pigmented oral mucosal lesions are diverse, and differential diagnosis can range from benign conditions such as oral melanotic macule to malignancies such as oral malignant melanoma. Imatinib mesylate is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor used as a first-line medication in the management of oncohematological conditions such as chronic myeloid leukemia and gastrointestinal stromal tumours. Side effects of imatinib therapy are common, and paradoxically imatinib has been associated with both hypo- and hyperpigmented lesions, the underlying mechanism for which is still unclear. Hyperpigmentation associated with imatinib therapy is a potentially underreported phenomenon. This paper discusses an in-depth clinicopathological review of the literature surrounding imatinib-related hyperpigmentation alongside a case series.