title: Evaluation of genotoxic risk of handling cytostatic drugs in clinical pharmacy practice.
abstract: The genotoxic risk of handling antineoplastic drugs was evaluated in fifteen women preparing chemotherapeutics in the Pharmacy Department of the University Hospital Maastricht. Twenty nurses of the same hospital, who were not exposed to cytostatics, acted as controls. Endogenous exposure to antineoplastic drugs was assessed by determination of urine mutagenicity, as well as by analysis of urinary methotrexate levels. As genotoxicological end-points, sister chromatid exchanges and hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase locus point mutations were studied in peripheral lymphocytes obtained via venous puncture. No differences in urine mutagenic activity, in sister chromatid exchange frequencies and in hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase point mutation frequencies between exposed and non-exposed groups were detected. Higher sister chromatid exchange frequency was observed in smokers as compared to non-smokers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Health Science, University of Limburg, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Guinée
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Beuman
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hageman
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Welle
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Kleinjans
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004247:DNA / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007041:Hypoxanthine Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000235:genetics; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009153:Mutagens / Q000652:urine; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000235:genetics; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital; D012307:Risk Factors; D012854:Sister Chromatid Exchange
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D009153:Mutagens; D004247:DNA; D007041:Hypoxanthine Phosphoribosyltransferase