Nanoparticle Albumin-bound Paclitaxel Combined With Pegylated Liposomal Doxorubicin for the Treatment of Breast Cancer-induced Cystoid Macular Edema: A Case Report

Cystoid macular edema (CME) is a rare condition that can develop as a complication of chemotherapy. The nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-PTX) is an innovative paclitaxel formulation that has shown significant effectiveness against various drug-resistant cancers. Nab-PTX can cause rare ocular adverse events including CME. Although nab-PTX has been associated with CME, there have been no documented cases of CME resulting from PEGylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD). This report presents the case of a 55-year-old woman who experienced CME one week after starting combination chemotherapy with nab-PTX and PLD. This occurred much earlier than previously reported cases of CME induced by nab-PTX. Despite discontinuing PLD treatment for 2 months, her symptoms did not improve. It is possible that interactions between multiple chemotherapeutic drugs contribute to this adverse reaction. Although nab-PTX and PLD are known to have improved efficacy and safety profiles, their combined use can result in CME. Clinicians should be vigilant about this rare but serious complication when administering combination chemotherapy with multiple agents, to ensure early recognition and timely referral for ophthalmological care.