Dermatitis Due to Mitomycin Bladder Instillations

A patient is reported who developed severe vesicular palmo-plantar eczema during the course of bladder instillations with mitomycin-C and was subsequently shown to have positive patch tests to this substance. Intravesical mitomycin-C, when used in the management of superficial papillary transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, has been associated with no significant systemic toxicity but occasional bladder irritation and hand rashes have been previously reported. The mechanism by which sensitization to this drug may have occurred in this case is discussed.