Abstract 1893P
Background
Hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs) are sometimes associated with the administration of certain cancer drugs. Desensitization is a high risk procedure in which a drug is administrated to a patient who has already presented an allergic reaction, almost always severe. They are performed in those patients in whom survival depends on treatment, when the alternatives are less effective. Objective: To assess the effectiveness and safety of a specific desensitization protocol used in outpatient settings for patients with HSRs to some chemotherapy and targeted drugs.
Methods
From april 2017 to september 2019, we perform a retrospective observational study in patients who had moderate to severe HSRs to chemotherapeutic agents and monoclonal antibodies. Repeated administration of suboptimal doses was carried out until the necessary dose for the treatment was reached. All desensitization took place in outpatient setting.
Results
We performed 97 desensitizations procedures in 24 patients (17 females and 7 males), 41 to oxaliplatin, 17 to docetaxel,14 to rituximab, 11 to paclitaxel, 9 to carboplatin, 3 to irinotecan, and 2 to gemcitabine. The most common underlying malignancy was colorectal cancer (8 patients, 33%), breast cancer (5 patients, 20%) and Non-Hodgkin linfomas ( 4 patients, 16%). More than half (13 patients, 54%) had metastasic disease, 10 of them in first line therapy. The remaining were on adjuvant or neoadyuvant treatment. Most HSRs occurred at the first time during the second course of the proposed cancer treatment, wich was completed in 20 of the 24 patients at standard dose with the expected oncologic results. Severe breakthrough reactions developed in only one patients with no medical intensive care needed.
Conclusions
The desensitization protocol was effective and safe, allowing to administer the complete cancer treatment to most of the study population despite presenting HSRs.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
Victor Zenzola.
Funding
Has not received any funding.
Disclosure
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.