Year: 2015
Type: article
Abstract: Pharmacists who handle antitumor drugs are at risk of exposure when they prepare, administer and dispose of antitumor drugs. Although concern for surface contamination of antitumor drugs has gradually grown in Japan, which drugs are contaminated and to what extent have not been verified. In this study, we performed a questionnaire survey to clarify the actual state of occupational exposure for several pharmaceutical companies. We chose drugs frequently used in the National Hospital Organization, which could cause occupational exposure, and studied such antitumor drugs at the injection vial surface by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). We selected the following objects of drug vials; 5-FU, cyclophosphamide, gemcitabine, pemetrexed and paclitaxel as hazardous and frequently used drugs for chemotherapy. The surfaces of these drug vials were measured using LC-MS/MS under respective experimental conditions. The state of surface contamination varied by the respective drug vials. Most vials of cyclophosphamide and gemcitabine were contaminated by their contents, whereas the contamination of 5-FU and pemetrexed were detected only in several lots with very low amounts. Contamination by paclitaxel was not detected in any of the three lots. It is important to publicize the potential of contamination and an appropriate handling procedure to minimize exposure by antitumor drugs. Furthermore, pharmaceutical companies should supply safer products and play a more active role in the disclosure of information on their products.
Authors: Akimasa Yoshida, Yoichiro Takami, Takae Hanada, Toshiyuki Morichika, Tsuneo Maki, China Ogura, Daisuke Nishikawa, Seiichiro Kuramoto, Masahiro Abe, Hisashi Tagashira, Kenichi Shimada, Takashi Egawa, Motofumi Nigota, Tetsuaki Matsuhisa
Institutions: National Hospital Organization, Shikoku Cancer Center, Okayama Medical Center, Shujitsu University, National Hospital Organization Hamada Medical Center, Iwakuni Medical Center, National Hospital Organization Fukuyama Medical Center, Higashihiroshima Medical Center, National Sanyo Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Occupational Therapy
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2652692601