"Almost immediately after a 46-year-old woman with multiple sclerosis received her first dose of the drug Tysabri, a mole that had been on her shoulder for years suddenly took on a dangerous new character.

It turned out to be a melanoma that spread like wildfire. The woman now has just a few months to live.

At almost the same time, a 45-year-old woman who also has multiple sclerosis developed melanoma in her retina after receiving several doses of Tysabri. She had a family history of melanoma and also had atypical moles on her body; the mole on her retina went back at least nine years.

Although these are just two -- albeit dramatic -- examples, the authors of a letter in the Feb. 7 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine are cautioning doctors who care for MS patients to keep this potential risk in mind.

"Neurologists who have patients who report a family history of melanoma or have funny moles should send them to a dermatologist first. Don't just start them on drugs [Tysabri]," said Dr. John Thomas Mullen, co-author of the letter and a surgical oncologist with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, in Boston.

"I can't say it's cause-and-effect definitively because it's just an observation, but the first patient had had that mole forever. She took the drug and almost instantaneously the lesion changed," added Mullen, who saw both patients.

"We don't know if the two are related right now," said Patricia O'Looney, vice president of biomedical research at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. "There are so many people taking Tysabri, we should go forward with caution... One should always consult with their doctor and go over their personal family history and decide what is best."

http://www.msrc.co.uk/index.cfm?fuse...ow&pageid=1905

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/extract/358/6/647-a

Cherie

Opps . . . put this on the wrong forum and have asked them to move it.

(sorry, not light talk...)

Cherie

I saw this on Agate's site yesterday Cherie. Just a good reminder for me to see a dermatologist, since I'd been thinking about it anyway. My Mom had some cancerous moles removed in her lifetime, so I need to call and do that TODAY. Didn't these two have a family history of skin cancers anyway? Thanks for the post, it reminded me again.

Cherie,

Where there is smoke, there is usually fire! I sure hope that these are isolated cases for Tysabri users because the last thing MS patients using Tysabri need is to have another problem with this drug.

Any time you prevent one's immune system from operating the way it should, you have to keep a close watch on this kind of potential problem. The drug has been in general use for just over a year now so it's not surprising that this kind of incident is beginning to surface.

Harry

*BIG sigh* Just one more thing to worry about. I start Ty next week. I am refusing to be alarmed . I have had two moles removed that were suspicious but were not melanoma.

I think I must look at the big picture and take it one step at a time.

It's only 2 reported cases so far, and so many people using it, so it's probably not a big concern.

I have heard several people say that their moles or scars have changed or disappeared completely though, so it seems perhaps 'something' is happening.

Cherie

As you've pointed out, Ewizabeth, I think those with skin cancer in their family would be wise to be checked out first.

I read somewhere, don't ask me where, that melanoma and MS are linked. Wouldn't you know a couple of weeks after I read that I had a new mole, it was melanoma.

I have always had atypical moles but never a melanoma. I am not on tysabri. But it is very interesting the link. I think it has more to do with the immune system rather than the meds. Just my thought

One more log in the Ty fire....sheesh. Maybe one day we won't have to poison ourselves to slow or stop this disease..

Sending prayers for all Tysabri users, that this does not happen to you.

I've had a couple of friends who have had their moles completely disappear. One has been on Ty for 48 infusions. Yes, she was in the clinical trials w/Avonex.

Anyone with a history of moles should be checked whether they are on Tysabri or not, that's just good common sense. There is no way of knowing whether or not Tysabri had anything to do with the advancement of these moles.

I have a history of basal cell carcinoma and have had 6 removed, 5 from my back and 1 from the side of my face. I get checked every 6 months now b/c the 1 on my face was pretty deep and persistent.

Let's hope this is an isolated case.

Maybe I can blame tylenol for mine! Just kidding...

Thanks for the info Cherie.

This reminds me...I need to get the moles on my shoulder and my right arm checked/removed.

Oh...and have the one on my butt checked. (boyfriend informed me I have a mole there)

I'm not being sarcastic here...the mole on my arm has gotten a little bigger in the past year (I'm not on Ty...been on the C since september)

Time to get some moles removed. (been there, done that before, but they were just moles, not anything scary)