The Common Toxicity Criteria (CTC) define adverse events following cancer therapy. It was designed for use in clinical trials of different therapeutic regimens. Criteria are given for the severity of allergic or immunologic reactions occurring as a result of the cancer therapy.
Specific areas:
(1) allergic reaction or hypersensitivity
(2) allergic rhinitis
(3) autoimmune reaction
(4) serum sickness
(5) vasculitis
(6) other reaction
where:
• Isolated urticarial reactions are graded with dermatologic conditions.
Grade 0: none of the findings present
|
Complication |
Finding |
Grade |
|
allergic reaction |
none |
0 |
|
|
transient rash; drug fever < 38°C |
1 |
|
|
urticaria; drug fever >= 38°C; asymptomatic bronchospasm |
2 |
|
|
symptomatic bronchospasm requiring parenteral medication with or without urticaria; allergy-related edema or angioedema |
3 |
|
|
anaphylaxis |
4 |
|
allergic rhinitis |
none |
0 |
|
|
mild, not requiring therapy |
1 |
|
|
moderate, requires therapy |
2 |
|
autoimmune reaction |
none |
0 |
|
|
evidence of reaction but patient asymptomatic; all organ function is normal and no therapy required |
1 |
|
|
reaction in a nonessential organ; requires therapy other than immuno-suppresssion |
2 |
|
|
reversible reaction involving a major organ; requires short term immuno-suppression |
3 |
|
|
major organ dysfunction; progressive and irreversible reaction; long-term therapy with high dose immuno-suppression |
4 |
|
serum sickness |
none |
0 |
|
|
present |
3 |
|
vasculitis |
none |
0 |
|
|
mild, not requiring therapy |
1 |
|
|
symptomatic, requires therapy |
2 |
|
|
requires steroids |
3 |
|
|
ischemic changes; requires amputation |
4 |
|
other reaction |
none |
0 |
|
|
mild |
1 |
|
|
moderate |
2 |
|
|
severe |
3 |
|
|
life-threatening or disabling |
4 |
where:
• An example of a Grade 2 autoimmune reaction would be hypothyroidism requiring thyroid hormone replacement.
Specialty: Hematology Oncology, Immunology/Rheumatology
