This pilot study aimed to ascertain if bone pain induced by granulocyte-colony stimulating factors (G-CSFs) can be alleviated or eliminated by oral antihistamine loratadine. Twelve patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy were included in the study. Daily pain increased between before treatment started and after cycle 1 in all patients. All 12 participants were started on loratadine on cycle 2; three patients were taking pain medications in addition to this as needed, which were ibruprofen (n=1) or tramadol (n=2). Pain decreased towards the later cycles after patients were started on loratadine in cycle 2, with the exception of one patient who also took tramadol as needed in cycle 3. Oral loratadine was found to be associated with pain reduction in patients with cancer receiving G-CSFs.
Keywords: Cancer; Chemotherapy; G-CSF; Histamine; Loratadine; Pain; Pegfilgrastim.