Novel management of pruritus in patients treated with IL-2 for metastatic renal cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma. 2010

Sung Ho Lee, and Mahadi Baig, and Valerie Rusciano, and Janice P Dutcher
Department of Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center-North, New York Medical College, Bronx, New York, USA.

Pruritus has been a side effect, associated with several biologic response modifiers, most commonly interferons and interleukins. Reports of pruritus are anecdotal and have not been a focus of attention. Itch fibers are essentially pain fibers, and gabapentin is used for neuropathic pain. This has led to our formal investigation of gabapentin for interleukin-2 (IL-2)-related pruritus. Clinical records of 54 patients treated with high-dose IL-2 from January 2005 to December 2006 were reviewed. Among 30 patients, who complained of pruritus, 17 patients were given gabapentin. These 17 patients were interviewed using a specific IRB approved questionnaire, which quantified pruritus according to CTCAE v3.0 criteria. According to CTCAE scale, the mean pruritus before gabapentin was 2.41, which decreased to 0.65 after gabapentin treatment and was statistically significant (P<0.0005). IL-2 therapy is frequently associated with varying degrees of peripheral eosinophilia. Relationship between pruritus and the degree of eosinophilia was also analyzed. Patients grouped into mild eosinophilia (eosinophil count<1500/mL) and moderate to severe eosinophilia (eosinophil count>1500/mL) during HDIL-2 therapy was evaluated for pruritus. χ² test for independence of variable between degree of eosinophilia and pruritus was 0.714 with no statistically significant correlation. To summarize, gabapentin is used in our facility with excellent response against pruritus. Hypothesizing the likely mechanism of pruritus in patients treated with IL-2, we suggest that gabapentin should be considered an effective and safe treatment in IL-2-related pruritus, and this concept could be applied to pruritus encountered in similar clinical settings.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007376 Interleukin-2 A soluble substance elaborated by antigen- or mitogen-stimulated T-LYMPHOCYTES which induces DNA synthesis in naive lymphocytes. IL-2,Lymphocyte Mitogenic Factor,T-Cell Growth Factor,TCGF,IL2,Interleukin II,Interleukine 2,RU 49637,RU-49637,Ro-23-6019,Ro-236019,T-Cell Stimulating Factor,Thymocyte Stimulating Factor,Interleukin 2,Mitogenic Factor, Lymphocyte,RU49637,Ro 23 6019,Ro 236019,Ro236019,T Cell Growth Factor,T Cell Stimulating Factor
D007680 Kidney Neoplasms Tumors or cancers of the KIDNEY. Cancer of Kidney,Kidney Cancer,Renal Cancer,Cancer of the Kidney,Neoplasms, Kidney,Renal Neoplasms,Cancer, Kidney,Cancer, Renal,Cancers, Kidney,Cancers, Renal,Kidney Cancers,Kidney Neoplasm,Neoplasm, Kidney,Neoplasm, Renal,Neoplasms, Renal,Renal Cancers,Renal Neoplasm
D008297 Male Males
D008545 Melanoma A malignant neoplasm derived from cells that are capable of forming melanin, which may occur in the skin of any part of the body, in the eye, or, rarely, in the mucous membranes of the genitalia, anus, oral cavity, or other sites. It occurs mostly in adults and may originate de novo or from a pigmented nevus or malignant lentigo. Melanomas frequently metastasize widely, and the regional lymph nodes, liver, lungs, and brain are likely to be involved. The incidence of malignant skin melanomas is rising rapidly in all parts of the world. (Stedman, 25th ed; from Rook et al., Textbook of Dermatology, 4th ed, p2445) Malignant Melanoma,Malignant Melanomas,Melanoma, Malignant,Melanomas,Melanomas, Malignant
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D009362 Neoplasm Metastasis The transfer of a neoplasm from one organ or part of the body to another remote from the primary site. Metastase,Metastasis,Metastases, Neoplasm,Metastasis, Neoplasm,Neoplasm Metastases,Metastases
D011537 Pruritus An intense itching sensation that produces the urge to rub or scratch the skin to obtain relief. Itching,Pruritis
D011795 Surveys and Questionnaires Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions. Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D002292 Carcinoma, Renal Cell A heterogeneous group of sporadic or hereditary carcinoma derived from cells of the KIDNEYS. There are several subtypes including the clear cells, the papillary, the chromophobe, the collecting duct, the spindle cells (sarcomatoid), or mixed cell-type carcinoma. Adenocarcinoma, Renal Cell,Carcinoma, Hypernephroid,Grawitz Tumor,Hypernephroma,Renal Carcinoma,Adenocarcinoma Of Kidney,Adenocarcinoma, Renal,Chromophil Renal Cell Carcinoma,Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma,Clear Cell Renal Carcinoma,Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma,Collecting Duct Carcinoma,Collecting Duct Carcinoma (Kidney),Collecting Duct Carcinoma of the Kidney,Nephroid Carcinoma,Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma,Renal Cell Cancer,Renal Cell Carcinoma,Renal Cell Carcinoma, Papillary,Renal Collecting Duct Carcinoma,Sarcomatoid Renal Cell Carcinoma,Adenocarcinoma Of Kidneys,Adenocarcinomas, Renal Cell,Cancer, Renal Cell,Carcinoma, Collecting Duct,Carcinoma, Collecting Duct (Kidney),Carcinoma, Nephroid,Carcinoma, Renal,Carcinomas, Collecting Duct,Carcinomas, Collecting Duct (Kidney),Carcinomas, Renal Cell,Collecting Duct Carcinomas,Collecting Duct Carcinomas (Kidney),Hypernephroid Carcinoma,Hypernephroid Carcinomas,Hypernephromas,Kidney, Adenocarcinoma Of,Nephroid Carcinomas,Renal Adenocarcinoma,Renal Adenocarcinomas,Renal Carcinomas,Renal Cell Adenocarcinoma,Renal Cell Adenocarcinomas,Renal Cell Cancers,Renal Cell Carcinomas,Tumor, Grawitz
D002985 Clinical Protocols Precise and detailed plans for the study of a medical or biomedical problem and/or plans for a regimen of therapy. Protocols, Clinical,Research Protocols, Clinical,Treatment Protocols,Clinical Protocol,Clinical Research Protocol,Clinical Research Protocols,Protocol, Clinical,Protocol, Clinical Research,Protocols, Clinical Research,Protocols, Treatment,Research Protocol, Clinical,Treatment Protocol

Related Publications

Sung Ho Lee, and Mahadi Baig, and Valerie Rusciano, and Janice P Dutcher
April 1984, The Journal of urology,
Sung Ho Lee, and Mahadi Baig, and Valerie Rusciano, and Janice P Dutcher
September 1994, Clinical and experimental immunology,
Sung Ho Lee, and Mahadi Baig, and Valerie Rusciano, and Janice P Dutcher
October 2018, BMC cancer,
Sung Ho Lee, and Mahadi Baig, and Valerie Rusciano, and Janice P Dutcher
January 1996, The cancer journal from Scientific American,
Sung Ho Lee, and Mahadi Baig, and Valerie Rusciano, and Janice P Dutcher
January 2010, Urologic oncology,
Sung Ho Lee, and Mahadi Baig, and Valerie Rusciano, and Janice P Dutcher
January 2021, Cancer treatment and research communications,
Sung Ho Lee, and Mahadi Baig, and Valerie Rusciano, and Janice P Dutcher
January 1995, Acta oncologica (Stockholm, Sweden),
Sung Ho Lee, and Mahadi Baig, and Valerie Rusciano, and Janice P Dutcher
November 1994, JAMA,
Sung Ho Lee, and Mahadi Baig, and Valerie Rusciano, and Janice P Dutcher
February 1994, Clinical and experimental immunology,
Sung Ho Lee, and Mahadi Baig, and Valerie Rusciano, and Janice P Dutcher
December 1996, Cancer immunology, immunotherapy : CII,
Copied contents to your clipboard!