Characteristics and stage of the underlying diseases could determine the risk of opportunistic infections in patients receiving alemtuzumab

Haematologica. 2008 Feb;93(2):e30-1. doi: 10.3324/haematol.12465.

Abstract

Alemtuzumab is usually associated with opportunistic infections. We have treated 67 patients, 8 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and 59 chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with campath. Among CLL patients, 6 used alemtuzumab in first line, alone or with chemotherapy, 41 as consolidation therapy and 11 as salvage therapy, 3 alone and 8 with chemotherapy. In our series opportunistic infections were prevalently found in patients submitted to alemtuzumab salvage therapy (33.3%), with or without chemotherapy; in particular 1 pulmonary nocardiosis, 1 tubercolosis. Also during the first line alemtuzumab therapy one case of lysteriosis and one case of HBV reactivation were found (33.3%). No opportunistic infections were diagnosed to our CLL patients in consolidation therapy, when the underlying hematologic disease was reduced or present only as minimal residual disease. A good response of malignancy, namely CLL, to induction therapy, such as a less aggressive schedule of therapy, determine a lower risk of immunosuppression and therefore a low number of opportunistic infections.

Publication types

  • Letter
  • Comment

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Alemtuzumab
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / administration & dosage
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / adverse effects*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / toxicity
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Antibodies, Neoplasm / administration & dosage
  • Antibodies, Neoplasm / adverse effects*
  • Cell Count
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immune System / cytology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Opportunistic Infections / chemically induced*
  • Remission Induction
  • Sezary Syndrome / complications
  • Sezary Syndrome / drug therapy*
  • Sezary Syndrome / pathology
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Antibodies, Neoplasm
  • Alemtuzumab