Perforating Corneal Ulceration in a Patient with Lung Metastatic Adenocarcinoma Treated with Gefitinib: A Case Report

Abstract

We present a case of a sixty-year-old female who presented with sudden onset of painless loss of vision in one eye due to a perforated corneal ulcer, following three months of treatment with gefitinib, a selective epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor for metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lung with confirmed EGFR gene mutation. The eye did not show any sign of infection or inflammation and had no associated lid problems to account for the development of corneal ulceration. The patient went on to have a corneal graft surgery but postoperatively developed corneal graft melt. This paper aims to raise awareness among ophthalmologists and oncologists of the probable association between gefitinib and corneal ulceration.