Open AccessLong‐term symptoms of polyneuropathy in breast and colorectal cancer patients treated with and without adjuvant chemotherapy
Author(s) -
Bennedsgaard Kristine,
Ventzel Lise,
Themistocleous Andreas C.,
Bennett David L.,
Jensen Anders B.,
Jensen Anni R.,
Andersen Niels T.,
Jensen Troels S.,
Tankisi Hatice,
Finnerup Nanna B.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
cancer medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.403
H-Index - 53
ISSN - 2045-7634
DOI - 10.1002/cam4.3129
Subject(s) - medicine , polyneuropathy , oxaliplatin , breast cancer , hospital anxiety and depression scale , colorectal cancer , anxiety , chemotherapy , quality of life (healthcare) , depression (economics) , docetaxel , cancer , surgery , oncology , psychiatry , nursing , economics , macroeconomics
Background The aim of this study was to assess chemotherapy‐induced polyneuropathy (CIPN) 5 years after adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with breast and colorectal cancer. The association of CIPN with quality of life, anxiety, and depression was analyzed. Methods Of a set of 100 patients with breast cancer and of 74 with colorectal cancer who had undergone surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy in 2011‐2012, 80 and 52 patients alive, respectively, were included together with two reference groups of 249 breast cancer patients and 83 colorectal cancer patients who had undergone surgery only. All patients were sent a questionnaire on alcohol consumption, smoking habits, comorbidity, medicine consumption, and oxaliplatin‐specific questions, as well as the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument questionnaire (MNSIq), the Douleur Neuropathique 4 Questions (DN4q), the EQ‐5D, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Possible polyneuropathy was defined as the presence of numbness and/or tingling in the feet, secondly as a score of ≥4 on the MNSIq. Possible painful polyneuropathy was defined as pain in both feet and a score ≥3 on the DN4q. Results The prevalence of possible polyneuropathy defined by numbness and/or tingling in the feet was 38.8% (28.1‐50.3) after adjuvant docetaxel and 57.7% (43.2‐71.3) after adjuvant oxaliplatin, with no significant difference from a previous 1‐year follow‐up ( P >.35). Fewer had possible polyneuropathy as defined by the MNSIq. Patients with possible polyneuropathy after adjuvant chemotherapy reported significantly lower quality of life than patients treated with surgery only. Conclusion Symptoms of polyneuropathy following adjuvant docetaxel and oxaliplatin persist 5 years after treatment and affect quality of life negatively.