Outpatient carboplatin desensitization in a pediatric patient with bilateral optic glioma.
OBJECTIVE
To report a case of successful outpatient carboplatin desensitization in a pediatric patient with bilateral optic glioma.


METHODS
A 10-year-old white girl with bilateral optic glioma developed a hypersensitivity reaction to carboplatin after nine courses. She had received 18 courses six years earlier without incident. A desensitization regimen was administered, and she has tolerated all subsequent courses of carboplatin therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Carboplatin is an important chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment of a variety of pediatric brain tumors. It is usually given in an outpatient setting. Hypersensitivity to this agent appears to develop after frequent exposure such as with the once-weekly regimens often used to treat brain tumors in pediatric patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Carboplatin desensitization can be successfully performed on an outpatient basis with close observation and cardiorespiratory monitoring. This regimen could prove useful for other patients who develop hypersensitivity reactions to carboplatin and allow therapy to continue.
Sims-McCallum
R P
RP
Department of Pharmacy, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit 48201, USA. rsims-mccallum@hotmail.com
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020339:Optic Nerve Glioma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016190:Carboplatin