Background. The literature describes several risk factors for hypersensitivity (HS) reactions to iodinated contrast media (ICM). Objective. To analyze the characteristics of patients experiencing HS reactions to ICM with a focus on oncological status. Methods. All patients (n = 80) with suspected HS to ICM who underwent an allergy evaluation in a Belgian University Hospital over a 5-year period were retrospectively included. Results. Overall, forty patients (50%) had a history of neoplasia, and this group was characterized by less atopy (p less than 0.004). No significant difference was observed between oncological and non-oncological patients in terms of gender, age, cardiovascular diseases, medical treatment, and number of previous exposures or reactions to ICM. Conclusions. A high proportion of oncological patients was observed in our population with HS to ICM. They did not have other known risk factors, and they were less atopic. Larger multicentric studies should explore cancer as a potential new risk factor.
Keywords: Cancer; drug hypersensitivity; iodinated contrast media; risk factors; targeted therapies.