Docetaxel-Induced Bilateral Cystoid Macular Edema with a Low Cumulative Dose: A Case Report

Docetaxel and paclitaxel are taxanes. They are widely used chemotherapeutic agents that have been shown to be effective for various types of solid malignancies. Docetaxel-related bilateral toxic cystoid macular edema (T-CME) has been reported as a rare and unusual adverse reaction. We report a case of 43-year women treated for breast cancer with docetaxel and developed T-CME. She was treated with two cycles of Docetaxel 150 mg, Pertuzumab 420 mg and Trastuzumab 360mg. Three days after 2nd cycle she complained of diminution of vision. Her both eye visual acuity was 20/200. Fundus examination showed macular edema which was confirmed with SD-OCT and fluorescein angiography. After fourth cycle Docetaxel was stopped by treating physician. CME was completely resolved by three months. Several studies suggest that a cumulative dose seems necessary for the onset of the toxic effect of this drug. To our knowledge, we report the first case of Docetaxel-induced T-CME occurring within less than 1 month, with a very low cumulative dose. This suggests that no cumulative dose is needed for macular edema to appear.