P-066 New methods of detecting oxaliplatin-induced peripheral sensory neuropathy in patients undergoing adjuvant treatment with 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin for colon cancer

Abstract

Introduction: Standard treatment for radically resected stage III colon cancer includes surgery and biweekly combination chemotherapy with oxaliplatin (85 mg/m2), leucovorin (400 mg/m2), 5-fluorouracil (2800 mg/m2) (modified FOLFOX6)1. Chemotherapy dosages are often reduced due to side effects of oxaliplatin, like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia and peripheral sensory neuropathy (PSN)(1,2). The management of those side effects is well established in everyday clinical practice. However assessment and management of PSN causes numerous difficulties. PSN is usually distinguished into two types. The acute type, that is present in about 90% of all patients treated with oxaliplatin and triggered by cold and the chronic type that is dose dependent and occurs in about 20% of patients treated with at least 600-800mg/m2 of oxaliplatin (3,4) To date, there are no objective methods to identify patients at risk of developing chronic PSN. The most frequently used tool to assess PSN is the scoring system according to National Cancer Institute- Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTCAE). It is a subjective method, that does not differentiate abovementioned types of sensory neuropathy. Its result depends largely on physician's clinical experience and communication skills. The aim of the study is to examine whether new objective measurement methods can describe and predict the grade of PSN.