Antineoplastic Drugs
Antineoplastic drugs are medications used to treat cancer. Other names for antineoplastic drugs are anticancer, chemotherapy, chemo, cytotoxic, or hazardous drugs. These drugs come in many forms, including liquids or pills.
People who work with these drugs may have an increased risk of miscarriage or birth defects. Antineoplastic drugs work by targeting and killing rapidly dividing cancerous cells. They can also be harmful to healthy dividing cells, including the cells of a developing baby.
The numbers and types of work environments, including pharmacies that contain antineoplastic drugs are expanding as these agents are used increasingly for nonmalignant rheumatologic and immunologic diseases and for chemotherapy in veterinary medicine.
Both clinical and nonclinical workers may be exposed to hazardous drugs when they create aerosols, generate dust, clean up spills, or touch contaminated surfaces. The following case illustrates one example of the health effects reported after exposure to antineoplastic drugs:
Case: Allergic Reaction to Aerosols
A 41-year-old patient-care assistant working on an oncology floor developed an itchy rash approximately 30 minutes after emptying a commode of urine into a toilet. She denied any direct contact with the urine, wore a protective gown and nitrile gloves, and followed hospital policy for the disposal of materials contaminated with antineoplastic drugs. The rash subsided after 1 to 2 days. Three weeks later, she had a similar reaction approximately 1 hour after performing the same procedure for another patient.
Upon investigation, it was found both hospital patients had recently been treated with vincristine and doxorubicin. The patient-care assistant had no other signs or symptoms and reported no changes in lifestyle and no history of allergies or recent infections. After treatment with diphenhydramine (intramuscular) and oral corticosteroids, her symptoms disappeared.
Although the cause could not be definitely confirmed, both vincristine and doxorubicin have been associated with allergic reactions when given to patients. The aerosolization of the drug present in the urine may have provided enough exposure for symptoms to develop.
For more information on antineoplastic drugs see 2016 NIOSH List of Antineoplastic and Other Hazardous Drugs
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
1-2. The numbers and types of work environments, including pharmacies that contain antineoplastic drugs are _____.
- virtually non-existent
- expanding
- deflating
- not yet understood
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