Gemtuzumab adverse effects

Other adverse effects resulting from the administration of gemtuzumab-ozogamicin include myelosuppression, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, increased risk of infection, abdominal pain, vomiting and headache. 

Gemtuzumab ozogamicin (Mylotarg) consists of a humanized anti-CD33 monoclonal antibody conjugated to the cytotoxic enediyne antibiotic calicheamicin. It has been used to treat a subset of patients with acute myeloid leukemia in association with topotecan -I- cytarabine. Its most common adverse effects are myelosuppression, increased hepatic enzyme activity, infections, fever and chills, bleeding, nausea and vomiting, and dyspnea. 

Infusion-related adverse effects of gemtuzumab ozogamicin can be treated with a brief course of an intravenous glucocorticoid. Of 143 patients with refractory myeloid leukemia treated with gemtuzumab ozogamicin, 110 received paracetamol 650 mg orally with diphenhydramine 50 mg intravenously and 33 received the same premeditations plus methylprednisolone sodium succinate 50 mg intravenously before the infusion and repeated 1 hour later (1). There were grade 2 or worse infusion-related adverse events in 32 (29%) of the former, but in only one of the latter (3%). 

Combination stndies The effects of gemtuzumab in combination with other treatments have been studied in patients with relapsed CD33-positive acute myeloid leukemia [235<=, 236<=, 237, 238 ] and in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia [239 ]. The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) noted that there were adverse reactions associated with gemtuzumab. These included severe and long-lasting bone marrow suppression causing reduced leukocyte and platelet counts, liver problems, and adverse reactions related to the infusion, such as chilk. 

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