Published in:
01-05-2013 | Original Article
Identification of clinical predictive factors of oxaliplatin-induced chronic peripheral neuropathy in colorectal cancer patients treated with adjuvant Folfox IV
Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer | Issue 5/2013
Login to get accessAbstract
Purpose
Oxaliplatin-induced neuropathy is a dose-related side effect which occurs in almost 40 % of patients treated with oxaliplatin. Aim of the present study was to identify reliable clinical factors predicting its development and duration.
Methods
One hundred sixty-nine completely resected colorectal cancer patients treated with adjuvant Folfox IV regimen were retrospectively included. The following pre-treatment clinical parameters were collected: hypocalcaemia, hypomagnesaemia, hypoalbuminaemia, anaemia, diabetes, chronic renal failure (CRF), folate deficiency, vitamin B12 deficiency, number of cycles received and habit to alcohol consumption. Incidence, grade (NCI-CTCAE v.3) and duration of neuropathy were recorded.
Results
Incidence of neuropathy was found to be higher in patients with pre-treatment anaemia (p = 0.001), hypoalbuminaemia (p = 0.01) and hypomagnesaemia (p = 0.001) as well in those with habit to alcohol consumption (p = 0.003). Neuropathy durations were conversely associated with age, being longer in younger patients (p = 0.03), and again with hypoalbuminaemia (p = 0.04) and hypomagnesaemia (p = 0.002). No correlation was found with gender, hypocalcaemia, diabetes and CRF. The correlation between vitamin B12 and folate levels and the development of neurotoxicity were not analysed because of the high number of missing data in the population.
Conclusions
Age, anaemia, hypoalbuminaemia, hypomagnesaemia and alcohol consumption are reliable and easily assessable clinical factors predicting incidence and length of oxaliplatin-induced neuropathy.