A Novel Finding of Lichenoid Drug Reaction From Ibrutinib Therapy

Ibrutinib is Burton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitor used in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and other conditions. This drug has been generally thought to be well tolerated, although studies have identified a few distinct adverse effects, including gastrointestinal discomfort, nausea, diarrhea, and atrial fibrillation. Regarding cutaneous findings, ibrutinib has only been linked to two self-limiting forms of mild rashes generally. In this report, we discuss a lichenoid drug reaction to ibrutinib in a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia severe enough to result in drug discontinuation. This adverse effect has not been previously reported to our knowledge.