OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO ANTINEOPLASTIC AGENTS AND PARAMETERS FOR RENAL DYSFUNCTION

To study the nephrotoxic effects of occupational exposure to antineopl astic agents, the early renal effect parameters retinol-binding protei n (REP) and albumin (ALE) were determined in the urine of II hospital workers involved in the preparation and administration of antineoplast ic agents and in 23 hospital workers not involved in drug handling, wh o served as nonexposed controls. No significant difference was found b etween the exposed group and the nonexposed control group with respect to the early renal effect parameters REP and ALE. Although it was dem onstrated that the hospital workers were exposed to cyclophosphamide ( CP) and probably other antineoplastc agents, the results of the presen t study show that these exposure levels did not cause nephrotoxic effe cts.