Retinal function in patients treated with tamoxifen

Doc Ophthalmol. 2010 Apr;120(2):137-43. doi: 10.1007/s10633-009-9203-8.

Abstract

Tamoxifen, an effective treatment of breast cancer, has been shown to cause ocular toxic effects. The purpose of this study was to determine retinal toxicity by full-field and focal electroretinograms (ERGs) in patients treated with tamoxifen. Fullfield and focal ERGs were obtained from three groups: Tamoxifen-14 females (47-72 years, mean 58.3 + or - 9.1) with normal fundus, treated with tamoxifen from 2 to 37 months; No Treatment-10 females (39-65 years, mean 50.1 + or - 8.7) with previous breast cancer diagnosis and before tamoxifen treatment; Control-13 normal female volunteers (41-81 years, mean 52.7 + or - 12.1). Peak-to-peak amplitude and b-wave implicit time were measured and statistically analyzed.Mean peak-to-peak amplitudes and implicit time from full-field and focal ERGs were comparable for the three different groups. Low-dosage tamoxifen showed no retinotoxic effect assessed by full-field and focal ERG in this small group of women with breast cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / adverse effects*
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Breast Neoplasms / physiopathology
  • Electroretinography
  • Eye Diseases / chemically induced
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Retina / drug effects*
  • Retina / physiopathology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Tamoxifen / administration & dosage
  • Tamoxifen / adverse effects*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal
  • Tamoxifen