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.
Subject(s)
Carmustine/adverse effects , Eye Diseases/chemically induced , Mitomycins/adverse effects , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/adverse effects , Bone Marrow Transplantation , Carmustine/therapeutic use , Colorectal Neoplasms/drug therapy , Humans , Indazoles/therapeutic use , Mitomycins/therapeutic use , Tears/metabolismABSTRACT
We evaluated the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the treatment of keratoendotheliosis secondary to surgical treatment. A total of 33 patients were randomized to two arms of this study. The first arm consisted of 12 patients treated with pharmacologic therapy and hyperbaric oxygen daily for ten days. The second arm consisted of 21 patients treated with pharmacologic therapy alone (control group). Our evaluation of the results was based on testing visual acuity, grading of corneal alterations, and pachymetry findings. Hyperbaric oxygen treatment was effective in reducing corneal edema, particularly when administered early. Corneal neovascularization did not occur in any patient treated with hyperbaric oxygen.
