Typhlitis as a complication of alemtuzumab therapy.

Abstract

Alemtuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody directed against lymphocytes through the CD-52 receptor, an antigen being found on > 95% of peripheral blood lymphocytes and monocytes, and to a smaller extent on granulocytes. It is an effective immunotherapeutic agent in patients with malignancies such as non-Hodgkin lymphoma, B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia and T cell pro- lymphocytic leukemia. Adverse side effects are increasingly recognized in patients receiving alemtuzumab, mainly including fever, rigors, nausea/vomiting, skin rash; other severe alemtuzumab-related reactions have also been described, such as lymphopenia and neutropenia leading to both opportunistic (e.g. cytomegalovirus) and non-opportunistic infections. Digestive complications have more rarely been described, i.e.: gastroenteritis and peritonitis. We recently observed a case of particular interest as the patient with T cell prolymphocytic leukaemia treated with alemtuzumab, exhibited symptomatic reactivation of CMV infection and developed subsequently typhlitis.

• Authors: I Marie, S Robaday, J M Kerleau, F Jardin, H Levesque
• Journal: Haematologica (Haematologica) Vol. 92 Issue 5 Pg. e62-3 (May 2007) ISSN: 1592-8721 [Electronic] Italy
• PMID: 17562596 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
• Antibodies, Neoplasm
• Antineoplastic Agents
• Alemtuzumab

Topics

• Alemtuzumab
• Antibodies, Monoclonal (adverse effects)
• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
• Antibodies, Neoplasm (adverse effects)
• Antineoplastic Agents (adverse effects)
• Female
• Humans
• Leukemia, Prolymphocytic (immunology, therapy)
• Leukemia, T-Cell (immunology, therapy)
• Middle Aged
• Typhlitis (diagnosis, etiology, immunology)