Risk factors associated with hypersensitivity reactions to cetuximab: anti-cetuximab IgE detection as screening test.
To describe the factors associated with a high risk of a hypersensitivity reaction to cetuximab. We retrospectively studied a cohort of patients living in Normandy (France) treated with cetuximab. Among the 229 treated patients, 24 (10.5%) had a hypersensitivity reaction to cetuximab, including 11 grade 3-5 reactions. Detection of anti-cetuximab IgE could be performed in 108 patients. Anti-cetuximab IgE was found in 13 of 17 patients (76.5%) who had a hypersensitivity reaction to cetuximab compared with 17 of 91 control patients (18.7%; adjusted odds ratio: 14.99; 95% CI: 3.59-62.63). No clinical criteria predicted the risk of allergy to cetuximab. Anti-cetuximab IgE may help physicians identify patients at risk of a hypersensitivity reaction to cetuximab.