Does Xolair cause cancer?
Xolair is associated with a slightly higher risk of cancer, but cancer specialists have determined that this does not mean that Xolair causes cancer. Research has shown that cancer occurred in 20 out of 4127 trial participants (0.5% of Xolair-treated study volunteers) and 5 out of 2236 (0.2%) of people who were assigned an inactive treatment. The most common cancers seen were those of the breast, skin, prostate, and parotid gland. An increased incidence of cancer was not seen in children ages 6 to 12 years who took Xolair.
Xolair is an injectable preparation that works by preventing IgE from binding to IgE receptors on mast cells and basophils and may be used to treat allergic asthma, nasal polyps, chronic idiopathic urticaria, and to reduce the risk of allergic reactions (including anaphylaxis) in adults and children aged 1 year and older with Ig-E-mediated food allergies.
References
- Xolair Product Information. Updated 02/2024. https://www.gene.com/download/pdf/xolair_prescribing.pdf
Read next
What are monoclonal antibodies?
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are man-made proteins that mimic the natural antibodies produced by our immune systems. Monoclonal antibodies can be formulated into medicines to treat various types of illnesses, such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis. Continue reading
Is Xolair an immunosuppressant?
Xolair does act on the body’s immune system to prevent an allergic response, but because it only acts on the allergic arm of the immune system, it does not appear to compromise the immune system as other immunosuppressants do. Xolair is not like traditional immunosuppressants, such as prednisone or cyclosporine because it does not increase the risk of infection nor the risk of COVID-19. Continue reading
How long before Xolair starts working?
Free serum IgE levels are decreased within an hour of Xolair administration. However it may take several months for the full effects of Xolair to be seen, although some symptom improvement may be noted after a few weeks. Significant improvements were noted after 4 months in those with allergic asthma, after 3 months in those with chronic urticaria, and after 16 to 20 weeks in those with Ig-E-mediated food allergies. Continue reading
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Drug information
- Xolair Information for Consumers
- Xolair prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side Effects of Xolair (detailed)
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