Abstract:
This study was carried out in Radiation Isotope Center,
Khartoum during the period March – July 2011. The objective was
to detect any abnormal change in urine composition and cytology,
blood picture or renal function in ten breast cancer (BRC) patients
receiving Cyclophosphamide treatment and compared to 20
normal control subjects receiving no treatment. Age of study
subjects ranged from 25 – 55 year. 60% of BRC patients were
above 45 year old. Eight BRC patients and 14 control subjects
were married and had children who were all breast fed. Four
patients and six control subjects had family history of breast
cancer; history of ovarian and colon cancer was also recorded.
Treatment was given in four treatment cycles (TC), each lasting
for 21 days. Urinalysis and urine cytology was performed just
before and six hours after each TC. Hematology, urea and
creatinine were done once before each treatment. Urine of both
BRC patients and control subjects contained pus cells and red
blood cells. Their numbers increased slightly after each TC in BRC
patients.
Both Pap and Diff-quick stains were used for urine cytology and
the latter was found superior. Cellularity of the urine sediment in
BRC patients increased after TC1 and decreased at TC 2 and 3.
Small number of leukocytes and few parabasal cells were seen
and
their
number
increased
after
each
TC.
Hemoglobin
concentration decreased slightly after each TC but the values were
within the normal range and were comparable to that of control
subjects. Significant decrease in WBC and neutrophils counts was
observed in BRC patients after each TC. Counts at TC 4 were about
65% and 36% of initial counts for WBC and neutrophils,
respectively. This was associated with slight steady increase in
lymphocyte counts. The white cell counts at cycle 1 were not
largely different from that of control subjects.
Mean urea and creatinine values showed no significant changes at
each TC and the values were comparable to those of controls. It is
concluded that Cyclophosphamide treatment does not seem to
cause urinary tract infection, bladder abnormalities or neoplastic
changes. However, leucopenia and neutropenia seem to be a
consequence of treatment.
