Developing guidelines for bleomycin test dosing

Anaphylactoid systemic reactions to bleomycin are potentially lethal. Test dosing is recommended to prevent or quickly detect immediate hypersensitivity reactions in patients receiving bleomycin for the first time. Specific test dosage recommendations vary but general considerations include the patient's age, body size, and previous allergy history, and the care setting. Facilities administering bleomycin should implement guidelines that address bleomycin test dosing since the prevention and recognition of anaphylactoid reactions is a primary responsibility of the nurse administering chemotherapy.