Successful Desensitization to Sorafenib and Imatinib—A Report of Two Cases and a Literature Review

TL;DR

This paper reports successful drug desensitization for two cancer patients allergic to sorafenib and imatinib, showing it can be a viable treatment option.

Contribution

The paper presents two case studies demonstrating effective desensitization protocols for sorafenib and imatinib in oncology patients.

Findings

Both patients successfully reached their target drug doses through slow desensitization.

Corticosteroids and antihistamines were gradually tapered during the process.

Desensitization proved effective for patients with no alternative treatment options.

Abstract

Background: Drug desensitization allows for safe administration of a drug to a patient with a previous hypersensitivity reaction. Successful desensitization protocols have been described for different medications, including protocols for oncology patients. Few cases of desensitization to sorafenib and imatinib have been described in the literature so far. Objective: The objective of this paper is to describe the process of the sorafenib and imatinib drug hypersensitivity diagnosis and desensitization process in two patients. Methods: Two oncology patients who experienced non-immediate hypersensitivity reactions to sorafenib and imatinib underwent desensitization to these drugs. We designed a protocol for the first patient and used a modified protocol from the literature for the second patient. Results: By using a slow desensitization technique and gradual tapering of corticosteroids and antihistamines, both patients reached the target dose of the incriminated drug. Conclusions: Desensitization to sorafenib and imatinib can be an effective therapeutic option in patients with hypersensitivity to those medications, without alternative treatment options.