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| |  Venom Immunotherapy Tolerated by Cancer Patients in Remission: Presented at EAACI By Sara Freeman LONDON -- June 10, 2010 -- Venom immunotherapy can be considered in patients with cancer if they are in remission and they are at high-risk of sting exposure or are likely to experience severe systemic reactions to hymenoptera stings, researchers said here at the 29th Congress of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI). "We have some concerns about starting venom immunotherapy in patients with cancer, but there are no data on the benefit or risks," said M. Beatrice Bilò, MD, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria "Ospedali Riuniti" di Ancona, Ancona, Italy, on June 6. Of 985 patients seen at her allergy clinic from 2000 to 2004, 11 (1.11%) had a prior cancer diagnosis: 5 had breast cancer, 3 had prostate cancer, 2 had colon cancer, and 1 had brain cancer. Seven of these patients were treated with venom immunotherapy. The type of treatment depended on the venom, with vespid allergic patients undergoing a 2-day rush therapy and honeybee allergic patients undergoing a 5-day rush therapy. Maintenance immunotherapy was "uneventful" in all patients, Dr. Bilò reported. She noted that venom immunotherapy was stopped in 1 patient who developed a new tumour, and in 2 patients after 5 or 6 years. Of the 974 patients who did not have a cancer diagnosis at the initial allergologic work-up, 404 underwent venom immunotherapy and 371 did not. At follow-up assessment in 2009, a similar number of these patients had developed cancer (2.3% vs 2.2%, respectively) regardless of whether venom immunotherapy was received or not. "The frequency and type of cancer were not different when compared with the general population," Dr. Bilò observed. In patients with tumour remission, venom immunotherapy was safe both during the rush and maintenance phases. "In patients with tumour remission, venom immunotherapy should be considered in those with specific risk factors," Dr. Bilò concluded. She advised stopping immunotherapy if cancer develops or progresses during venom immunotherapy, or if therapeutic priorities change. Further, multicentre studies are required "to better evaluate the safety of venom immunotherapy in patients with malignant tumours," said Dr. Bilò. [Presentation title: Venom Immunotherapy and Neoplasia. Abstract 42]
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