Complications of cancer immunotherapy with levamisole.
In a group of 69 patients receiving levamisole the drug had to be discontinued in 15 (21-7%) because of intolerable but reversible side-effects including gastrointestinal upset, "flu-like" syndrome, central nervous system disturbances, and skin rash. Reversible agranulocytosis with life-threatening sepsis occurred in a patient receiving levamisole immunotherapy for colonic carcinoma. Neutrophils and platelets were both severely affected. Levamisole-dependent leucoagglutinins appeared with circulating immune complexes during the acute phase of the illness, suggesting an immune drug reaction.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000372:Agglutination Tests; D000380:Agranulocytosis / Q000139:chemically induced; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D002499:Centrifugation, Density Gradient; D003172:Complement C1 / Q000032:analysis; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D007978:Levamisole / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D010146:Pain / Q000139:chemically induced; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D014581:Urticaria / Q000139:chemically induced
D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D003172:Complement C1; D007978:Levamisole