title: A new rapid desensitization protocol for chemotherapy agents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Desensitization has been used for some decades to treat patients with the allergenic drug when an alternative drug with similar efficacy and safety is not available. We present the results from a series of oncology patients desensitized at our hospital during the last 2 years.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy of a new desensitization protocol in patients allergic to chemotherapy drugs.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed an observational retrospective study of 11 women (6 breast cancer and 5 ovarian cancer) who underwent our desensitization protocol. Four patients had immediate reactions to carboplatin, 3 to docetaxel, 3 to paclitaxel, and 1 to both docetaxel and paclitaxel. Premedication was administered in all cases. A 5-step protocol based on 5 different dilutions of the drugs was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We performed 39 desensitization procedures: 14 to carboplatin, 3 to oxaliplatin, 16 to docetaxel, and 6 to paclitaxel. Eight patients tolerated the full dose in 36 procedures. One patient suffered an anaphylactic reaction to carboplatin that reverted with treatment. One patient had dyspnea after a paclitaxel cycle. One patient experienced dyspnea due to chronic pulmonary thromboembolism related to her disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Desensitization is a useful procedure in patients who are allergic to their chemotherapy agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergology and Clinical Immunology, Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain. gastaminza@unav.es
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gastaminza
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: de la Borbolla
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Goikoetxea
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Escudero
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Antón
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Espinós
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lacasa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernández-Benítez
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Sanz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferrer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic / Q000379:methods*; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents