 |
| Chief Hiroya Kashiwagi, M.D., Ph.D. |
The Division of Ophthalmology deals with eye diseases in general. At the Shizuoka Cancer Center, the division is specializing in ocular tumors, as well as other general eye diseases of the patients taking cancer treatments. Ocular tumors are not very common, but some of them can be life-threatening and need treatments provided by a specialist. In addition, lately the cases of the side effects in the eyes from anti-cancer drugs have been increasing. At this division, efforts are being made to control those side effects so that the patients can continue taking their cancer treatments.
Eyes function as very important organs covering more than 80% of the whole information from outer world, while at the same time they are key components for appearances. Therefore, when tumors in eyes need surgeries, postoperative appearances must be carefully and thoroughly considered beforehand. The Shizuoka Cancer Center is one of a few medical institutions where tumors in eyes can be treated by a full-time ophthalmology specialist having ample experiences. Since the opening, more than 1,000 patients have been treated here. Furthermore, even better cancer treatment than ever is always pursued through periodical medical conferences (review meetings for therapeutic plans) to exchange broad insights with the Department of Ophthalmology of the Cancer Institute Hospital of JFCR in Ariake, the Department of Ophthalmic Oncology of the National Cancer Center Hospital, and the Department of Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery of the Seirei Hamamatsu General Hospital to exchange broad insights. In addition, further efforts are constantly made to pursue even better cancer treatments through presentations at the International Society of Ocular Oncology periodically. Lately, genomic analyses for malignant melanoma and sebaceous gland cancer have been performed here.
Side effects from anti-cancer drugs can appear in the eyes sometimes, not limited to nausea and hair loss. The symptoms are various including eye lash troubles, conjunctivitis, blepharitis, retinal problems, lacrimal duct obstructions and corneal disorders, but they are not widely recognized yet and are sometimes let slide by at most hospitals. There are only three institutions with full-time ophthalmologist standing by among the cancer centers in Japan, and the SCC is one of them. Side effects from anti-cancer drugs in the eyes (ophthalmologic disorders) are always very much focused on here. The ophthalmologist at the SCC has been making efforts in educating younger generation as well, through delivering lectures at the Japan Society of Clinical Oncology and the Japanese Society for Ocular Pharmacology. Also, as part of the educational efforts to improve the awareness among cancer patients, we have published a booklet consisting of 36 pages on the side effects from anti-cancer drugs in the eyes.
The disorders in the lacrimal duct cause lacrimation (watering eye), which lowers the quality of everyday life greatly. Among the side effects from anti-cancer drugs affecting the eyes, “blockage in lacrimal passage, i.e. stenosis or obstruction of the lacrimal duct more specifically, has been increasing rapidly in recent years. The radiation therapy in the head and neck region will also cause the disorders in the lacrimal duct sometimes. In 2010, we had the latest lacrimal endoscopy installed. With that device, the treatment method has been improved a great deal, with a tube inserted directly into the lacrimal canal.
Because the eyes are the windows to the outer world receiving so much information from there, the disorders in the eyes will make us all feel not only uncomfortable but also very anxious. That will be more so for cancer patients. Therefore, it must be a huge relief for them to know that there is a full-time ophthalmologist at the Shizuoka Cancer Center and any disorders in the eyes will be promptly taken care of. Needless to say, the sooner the patients seek treatments, the better outcomes they get for the eye tumors and the side effects from anti-cancer drugs in the eyes. Whenever you feel something wrong in the eyes, please do not hesitate to visit the Division of Ophthalmology.
ophthalmology
ocular tumors
ocular pathology
neuro-ophthalmology
lacrimal passage
eye bank
side effects in the eyes (eye disorders) from anti-cancer drugs
Ophthalmologist Certified by the Japanese Ophthalmological Society
Councilor and Editorial Committee Member, the Japanese Neuro-Ophthalmology Society
Councilor, the Shizuoka Eye Bank Association
The Japanese Society for Ocular Oncology
The Japanese Society of Lacrimal Passage and Tear Dynamics
The Japanese Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
The Japanese Society for Ocular Pharmacology
The Japan Cornea Society
The Ethical Committee Member, the Japanese Ophthalmologists Association
The International Society of Ocular Oncology
