Desensitization to oxaliplatin with two stages of premedication in a patient with metastatic rectal cancer

Oxaliplatin is a therapeutic platinum compound used for the treatment of colorectal cancer; however, it might induce hypersensitivity reactions, a critical situation that requires discontinuation of chemotherapies that contain oxaliplatin. Independent attempts of oxaliplatin desensitization have been reported, with mostly successful results. This letter reports a 53-year-old Japanese woman (weight, 70 kg) with chemorefractory metastatic rectal cancer who had undergone surgical intervention twice and received 3 treatment regimens. The patient developed grade 3 hypersensitivities to oxaliplatin during cumulative cycles of the FOLFOX (5-fluorouracil/leucovorin/oxaliplatin)-4 regimen. After the subsequent regimen failed, she was desensitized using a protocol of an 8-hour series of diluted-oxaliplatin infusions. Because, according to previously published desensitization reports, hypersensitivity reactions might recur during the final bag infusion of oxaliplatin despite intensive premedication, prophylactic antiemesis, corticosteroids, and antihistamines were administered twice (ie, before and during the oxaliplatin infusion). Allergic reactions were successfully and efficiently prevented with the 2 stages of intensive premedication in this patient who was able to receive oxaliplatin and had stabilized lung metastases. She was able to undergo desensitization for 5 cycles until acute development of obstructive pneumonia. In this report of a previously sensitized patient, a type I hypersensitivity reaction was successfully circumvented with 2-staged premedication for oxaliplatin desensitization. The optimum desensitization protocol for oxaliplatin administration in terms of efficacy and tolerability still needs to be defined.