title: Case report: retinitis pigmentosa following cytotoxic chemotherapy in Usher's syndrome.
abstract: Ocular toxicity is an uncommon complication of cytotoxic chemotherapy. Retinitis pigmentosa complicating cancer chemotherapy has not been reported. A patient with probable Usher's syndrome (congenital sensorineural deafness) had apparent acceleration of retinitis pigmentosa with blindness following cytotoxic chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Retinitis pigmentosa, a feature of Usher's syndrome, usually develops as a slowly progressive process. The rapid acceleration of retinopathy following tumor therapy suggests a possible relationship to the cytotoxic chemotherapy. Lymphocytes and fibroblasts from patients with Usher's syndrome are hypersensitive to the x-ray type of DNA-damaging agents. The DNA-damaging effects of chemotherapy may have accelerated the progression of retinitis pigmentosa in this patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Louisiana State University Medical Center-Shreveport 71130-3932.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Blanchet
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Wellemeyer
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Burton
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003638:Deafness / Q000150:complications*; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012174:Retinitis Pigmentosa / Q000150:complications*; D013577:Syndrome; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide