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Side effects to levamisole given to neoplastic patients as adjuvant to surgery: A new case of agranulocytosis
Author(s) -
Colizza S.,
Bagolan P.,
Paola M. Di
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
journal of surgical oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.201
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1096-9098
pISSN - 0022-4790
DOI - 10.1002/jso.2930160310
Subject(s) - levamisole , medicine , adjuvant , adverse effect , surgery , side effect (computer science) , gastroenterology , computer science , programming language
Side‐effects to levamisole given as adjuvant to surgery in a consecutive series of 203 neoplastic patients are reported: Thirty‐four patients (16.7%) suffered gastric adverse reactions; 8 (3.9%) allergic; 6 (2.9%) intestinal; 6 (2.9% neurologic; 4 (1.9%) severe hyperthermia (more than 40.5°C); 3 (1.4%) flu‐like illness; 1 (0.4%) leucopenia; and 1 (0.4%) agranulocytosis. Withdrawal rate was 5.4% or 11 patients. Side effects appeared sex‐related (39.0% in females, 17.7% in males; with seven female dropouts out of 11), unrelated to other eventual adjuvant treatments, and reappearing at a new challenge with levamisole. The opportunity of very close control of patients taking levamisole for at least the first months is discussed.