There is some info re severe allergic reaction to the MAB Erbitux. This reaction occurs within minutes of the infusion. It is not the more normal skin rash.

http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/news/newsreleases/2008/cancerdrugallergy.htm

Hopefully, they devise a test for this soon, the alternative is to be extremely careful the first time you are given Erbitux. How many MO's hang around in the chemo lounge?, exactly!

It still irks me that although I told my MO that I might be allergic** to Erbitux and we agreed on a test dose it did not happen and the result was an anaphylactic shock.

** I worked with mice (Erbitix is a mouse derived antibody).

Hope this info is useful for somebody.

M

Markus, thanks for that info, I do remember you sharing it with me in a previous post but the reminder was needed. We will strictly request a test or partial dose before the loading dose is administered IF we end up selecting erbitux (which I am still deciding and looking for studies about the efficacy of).

I had Erbitux added to my regimen after pathology revealed effusion in one of my nodes. During the loading dose, which happened on Day 1 of my radiation treatment, I began to feel a tightness/tingling in my chest, rang for the nurse and it was stopped immediately. A dose of Benedryl was administered and the treatment was continued with no further trouble. And I slept like a baby thanks to the Benedryl.

To be sure it is a RARE event and something that you can easily catch. The last thing I want to accomplish is to steer anyone away from Erbitux.

However anyone who has been in a chemo lounge knows that the nurse is not constantly beside you. The other thing to realize that there has to be a communication between the nurse who is there and the MO who most likely is not. It is bets to check that the nurse is aware of special arrangements.

M

Margaret on a lighter note: all this proves is our immune system is able identify rodents as foreign! You can make you own rhyme on that.

There's a mouse in the house?

To be sure, Markus. My medical team was very, very clear with me about potential side effects of bth the Erbitux and the cisplatin, started the Erbitux loading dose very slowly and my infusion nurse was on her toes waiting for something to go wrong. My regular MO was out that day, so I had as a substitute the head of the H & N program, who had headed up some of the clinical trials for cisplatin in H & N cancers, so I was in the best hands possible. It turns out, experience makes a huge difference!

Could not resist the pun. My MO had been wondering why almost all the patients he heard about or treated that had such a reaction to Erbitux were from the South. Other reports on this indicated that the cause was probably being bitten by "seed ticks" which trigger the antibody which are especially prevalent in TN, NC & GA. I agree that it would be great if they develop a test because the nurses warned my wife each and every infusion to watch closely for a reaction which did not help either of our stress level. At least the benadryl did help grab a quick nap.
I lost the link to one article I found that suggested that prior work with mice was not a factor as the antibodies were specific to the sugar and not the protein nor the mouse amino acid as the shock did not occur with patients with prior documented allergies to mice.
On a side note, this week marks the first time since ending Erbitux that my fingernails have grown long enough to cut.

The MO I had stuck with me for about 15 minutes the 1st time to be sure. I had no idea about why he was there and din't ask him. When he left I asked the nurse. LOL She was much easier on my eyes too.

My husband's doctor was present everytime he had the Erbitux. As a matter of fact we couldn't schedule our weekly appointment unless he was going to be there. The whole staff was very dilligent. He did have a problem the morning after his first treatment. He woke with flu like symptoms and when I called the oncologist's office our regular was not on. A doctor on call said that those were not side effects of the drug but when I went on the manufacturer's website-those exact symptoms were listed. Sometimes you have to be your own research team.

Sue