Severe Ocular Irritation and Corneal Deposits Associated with Capecitabine Use

To the Editor: Capecitabine (Xeloda, Roche Laboratories) is an orally administered fluoropyrimidine carbamate used for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer and colon cancer. 1 – 4 We describe two patients in whom marked ocular irritation, decreased vision, and corneal deposits developed during chemotherapy with capecitabine. Patient 1 was a 48-year-old woman with metastatic breast cancer, a history of keratoconjunctivitis sicca, and 20/20 visual acuity in each eye who had severe bilateral irritation and decreased vision after two cycles of capecitabine (4600 mg per day for 14 days and 3000 mg per day for 14 days). Her visual acuity decreased to 20/40 . . .