Differential presentation of hypersensitivity reactions to carboplatin
and oxaliplatin: phenotypes, endotypes and management with
desensitization.
Abstract
Background Drug hypersensitivity reactions (DHRs) to
platinum-based drugs are heterogenous and restrict their access, and
drug desensitization (DD) has provided a ground-breaking procedure for
their re-introduction, although the response is heterogeneous. We aimed
to identify the phenotypes, endotypes and biomarkers of reactions to
carboplatin and oxaliplatin and their response to DD. Methods
Seventy-nine patients presenting with DHRs to oxaliplatin (N=46), and
carboplatin (N=33) were evaluated at the Allergy Departments of two
tertiary care hospitals in Spain. Patient symptoms, skin testing,
biomarkers, and outcomes of 267 DDs were retrospectively analyzed.
Results Oxaliplatin-reactive patients presented with type I
(74%), cytokine release reaction (CRR) (11%), and mixed (Mx) (15%)
phenotypes. In contrast, carboplatin reactive patients presented with
predominantly type I (85%) and Mx (15%) but no CRRs. Out of 267 DDs,
breakthrough reactions (BTRs) to oxaliplatin occurred twice as
frequently as carboplatin (32% versus 15%; p<0.05).
Phenotype switching from type I to another phenotype was observed in
46% of oxaliplatin DDs compared to 21% of carboplatin DDs. Tryptase
was elevated in type I and Mx reactions, and IL-6 in CRR and Mx,
indicating different mechanisms and endotypes. Conclusion
Carboplatin and oxaliplatin induced three different types of reactions
with defined phenotypes and endotypes amendable to DD. Although most of
the initial reactions for both were type I, oxaliplatin presented with
unique CRR reactions. During DD, carboplatin reactive patients presented
mostly type I BTR, while oxaliplatin reactive patients frequently
switched from type I to CRR, providing a critical difference and the
need for personalized DD protocols.