Trametinib after disease reactivation under dabrafenib in Erdheim-Chester disease with both BRAF and KRAS mutations

Abstract

Major advances have been made in understanding the pathogenesis of Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD) leading to novel treatment strategies. Targeted therapies such as BRAF inhibition have shown a significant impact on disease management, emphasizing the importance of the activated mitogen-associated protein kinase pathway in this disease. However, incomplete responsiveness, potentially limiting adverse effects, and the occurrence of treatment resistance to BRAF inhibition observed in other BRAF-mutant malignancies imply the importance of therapeutic strategies beyond BRAF inhibition. We report a patient with ECD who carried the BRAF^V600E mutation and developed treatment resistance under BRAF inhibition despite initial treatment response. Genetic analyses of a newly developing ECD lesion revealed a somatic KRAS^Q61H mutation without the presence of BRAF^V600E Accordingly, the addition of MEK-inhibiting trametinib to BRAF-inhibiting dabrafenib was able to overcome acquired partial treatment resistance. This is the first report of treatment resistance as a result of a secondary MAPK pathway-activating mutation during BRAF inhibition in ECD. This case contributes to the ongoing efforts of simultaneous BRAF/MEK inhibition as a promising strategy in ECD.