Experimental and clinical data of the pulmonary toxicity of mitomycin C
Gatzemeier, U.; Fasske, E.; Nowak, U.
Pneumologie 44(Suppl 1): 201-203
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0934-8387 PMID: 2114625 Document Number: 353331
The pathological-anatomical development of injuries to the lung induced by mitomycin-C, begins with an irregular thickening of the endothelial cells of the capillaries and progresses to the liberation of surfactant and to the activation of alveolar macrophages. When the macrophages break down, the resulting liberation of mediators initiated the fibrotic process in the lungs. In animal experiments, it has been shown that simultaneous administration of steroids can completely prevent this development. Clinical investigations have shown that, with the aid of aggressive diagnostic procedures, as also thorough lung function studies and bronchoscopy with lavage, pulmonary damage can be detected early on, before clinical symptoms have occurred. In the clinical investigations, too, prophylactic administration of steroids has been shown--in a randomised comparison with urokinase and no accompanying treatment--to be able statistically significantly to reduce the occurrence of toxic injuries in the lungs.