A case of prolonged carboplatin therapy in a patient with carboplatin hypersensitivity

Platinum-containing chemotherapeutic drugs have high response rates yet are known to cause hypersensitivity reactions. Attempts have been made to rechallenge allergic patients with prolonged desensitization infusion regimens.

A female with advanced peritoneal cancer went into remission after six cycles of paclitaxel/cisplatin. Her cancer recurred 17 months later and she was treated with paclitaxel/carboplatin. A hypersensitivity reaction to carboplatin occurred during the fourth cycle and further carboplatin was withheld. With the second recurrence carboplatin was resumed using a prolonged desensitization regimen. The patient had a third recurrence and has recently completed cycle 15 of carboplatin for a total of 56 cycles.

A carboplatin desensitization regimen may allow patients with platinum-sensitive ovarian or peritoneal cancer to continue to benefit from its efficacy.