Clinical application of asparaginase activity levels following treatment with pegaspargase. Issue 6 (12th November 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bleyer, Archie; Asselin, Barbara L.; Koontz, Susannah E.; Hunger, Stephen P.
• Is Part Of: Pediatric blood & cancer. Volume 62:Issue 6(2015:Jun.)
• Page Start: 1102
• Page End: 1105
• Publication Date: 2014-11-12
• Subjects: Tumors in children -- Periodicals; Blood -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Cancer in children -- Periodicals; 618.92
• DOI: 10.1002/pbc.25299
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1545-5009

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="pbc25299-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <p>Asparaginase, an enzyme used to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia and related forms of nonHodgkin lymphoma, depletes asparagine, which leads to lymphoblast cell death. Unlike most chemotherapeutic agents, asparaginase is a foreign protein that can result in clinical allergy and/or silent hypersensitivity with production of neutralizing antibodies that inactivate asparaginase. In North America, asparaginase activity levels can now be obtained via a commercially available assay, for therapeutic drug monitoring and investigation of potential allergic reactions. Herein, we provide recommendations and a corresponding algorithm for the clinical application of this assay after treatment with pegaspargase to evaluate suspected hypersensitivity reactions and/or silent inactivation. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2015;62:1102–1105. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</p> </sec> </abstract>