Purpose: To elucidate the features of optic lesions in patients with epiphora during S-1 therapy.
Patients: Twelve patients with epiphora in 123 patients during S-1 therapy.
Results: Age range was 38-84 years (mean 68.4 years). There were 4 cases in 81 men (5%) and 8 in 42 women (19%). Epiphora occurred significantly more often in women (p=0.02). The administration period was from 10 days to 36 months. Lesions were superficial punctate keratopathy in 10 cases with cornea and obstruction of inferior punctum in 2, stenosis of nasolacrimal duct in 1 and suspected occlusion of the nasolacrimal duct in 1 with lacrimal duct. Local therapy was eye drops in all cases. Of the whole 12 patients, S-1 was continued or discontinued in 6 each of all 12 cases, in 5 each of 10 cases with superficial punctate keratopathy, and in 2 each of 4 cases with lacrimal duct lesions. Epiphora/optic lesions improved with a range from 10 days to 1.5 months in cases of discontinuation and with that from 2 weeks to 1 month in cases of continuation.
Discussion: Our results revealed superficial punctate keratopathy in many cases, lacrimal duct lesions in a few cases, and discontinuation of medication provided improvement of optic events.
Conclusions: When epiphora is observed in patients on S-1 therapy, it is necessary to assess optic disorders by an opthalmologist immediately because of suspicion of injury to the cornea and lacrimal duct.