Abstract
Drug-induced pruritus is a phenomenon in which the ingestion of a particular drug results in the sensation of pruritus without coexisting skin lesions. It is a common medical problem which accounts for about 5% of drug adverse reactions. Drugs most commonly known to cause this adverse event include mu-opioids, chloroquine, and hydroxyethyl starch. However, within the realm of oncology, many other new anticancer therapies have been shown to induce pruritus with and without rash. Not only does it cause significant distress, it also results in decreased compliance to treatment. Hence, it is of utmost importance for clinicians to be cognizant of drug-induced pruritus. This chapter aims to provide physicians with updated information on the topic, including prevalence, categorization, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of this phenomenon.