Dictionary of Cancer Terms
View in Spanish: Choque anafiláctico
Anaphylactic shock (A-nuh-fih-LAK-tik shok)
A severe and sometimes life-threatening immune system reaction to an antigen that a person has been previously exposed to. The reaction may include itchy skin, edema, collapsed blood vessels, fainting, difficulty in breathing, and death.
Source: National Cancer Institute Dictionary of Cancer Terms, available at www.cancer.gov/dictionary.