DETERMINATION
OF URINARY CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE IN ONCOLOGY NURSES HANDLING
ANTINEOPLASTIC DRUGS BY GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS SPECTROMETRY
Bensu KARAHALŻL*,o, Kamelya ŻLTER AKKOYUNLU*
*Gazi University, Faculty of Pharmacy,
Department of Toxicology, 06330 Hipodrom, Ankara, TURKEY.
oCorresponding Author e-mail: bensu@gazi.edu.tr
Summary:
The aim of the study was to detect exposure to antineoplastic
drugs, using cyclophosphamide (CP) as the model compound,
in nurses who worked in oncology departments of hospitals.
Chemotherapy with antineoplastic agents is often used
in the treatment of cancer. When handling antineoplastic
drugs, nurses and physicians may face certain health risks.
Many antineoplastic agents directly or indirectly react
with DNA. Consequently, the proliferation of tumor cells
is decreased. CP, one of the most commonly used antineoplastic
drugs, is known to be a human carcinogen [Group 1 class
according to International Agency for Research on Cancer
(IARC)]. CP is known to be a model compound for the identification
of potential exposure situations in the various phases
of its manifacture and hospital use. A sensitive gas chromatographic
method for the determination of CP in urine is used. In
the present study, after liquid-liquid extraction with
diethyl ether and derivatization with trifluoroacetic
anhyride, CP was identified and quantified with gas chromotgraphy-mass
spectrometry (GC-MS). The urinary excretion rate ranged
from 0-2.12 µg CP/24 h.
Keywords:
Antineoplastic drugs, Nurses, Cylophosphamide, Gas chromotography-Mass
spectrometry.
