title: Ocular toxicity of systemic chemotherapy with megadoses of carmustine and mitomycin.
abstract: The use of chemotherapeutic agents in high doses in the treatment of advanced-stage cancer enhances drug toxicity, and ocular complications are not uncommon. In this article, we discuss the ocular toxicity in six patients with advanced nonpretreated colorectal cancer who received megadoses of carmustine and mitomycin with the support of autologous bone marrow transplantation. The results obtained did not reveal any subjective or objective pathologic conditions of the ocular apparatus with particular attention to orthoptic examinations, the anterior segment, and the fundus. No patient had changes in visual acuity. Tonometry did not demonstrate significant variations. There were, however, qualitative and quantitative changes in the tear films of all patients, leading to damage to the corneal and conjunctival epithelium.
authors.affiliation: Second Eye Clinic, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cruciani
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tamanti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abdolrahimzadeh
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Franchi
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Gabrieli
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002330:Carmustine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D007191:Indazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008937:Mitomycins / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007191:Indazoles; D008937:Mitomycins; D002330:Carmustine; C016371:lonidamine