The color appearance of stimuli detected via short-wavelength-sensitive cones for breast cancer survivors using tamoxifen.
This study compared color appearance data for two populations of middle-aged women: (1) women using the selective estrogen receptor modulator tamoxifen as adjuvant therapy following successful treatment for early-stage breast cancer, and (2) healthy amenorrheic (peri- or post-menopausal) control subjects not using any hormonally acting medications. A 3-alternative forced-response paradigm (with "blue", "lavender", or "white" as the allowable responses) was used for assessing the perceived color of 440-nm foveal test stimuli superimposed on a larger 3.6 log td 580-nm background. In contrast to the control subjects, the majority of tamoxifen users described the test stimuli as "white", whether at threshold or slightly suprathreshold. Threshold-sensitivity measurements themselves appeared less effective for distinguishing between subject groups. The results show that a simple color-naming procedure can reveal alterations of foveal short-wavelength-sensitive cone-mediated visual function that are common among tamoxifen users.
Eisner
Alvin
A
Neurological Sciences Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, USA. eisnera@ohsu.edu
Incognito
Lisa J
LJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000503:physiopathology; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003118:Color Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017949:Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014787:Vision Tests
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D013629:Tamoxifen