Oxaliplatin scale and National Cancer Institute-Common Toxicity Criteria in the assessment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.

AIM The aim of the study was to compare two different neurotoxicity scales in grading chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicity. PATIENTS AND METHODS The study sample consisted of 114 cancer patients who started chemotherapy with vinca alcaloids, platinum derivatives or taxanes. Neurotoxicity was evaluated with the National Cancer Institute-Common Toxicity Criteria (NCI-CTC) and oxaliplatin scales at baseline and after every third chemotherapy cycle thereafter. RESULTS Neuropathy was detected in 60%, 55% and 75% at the second, third and fourth visits, respectively, with the NCI-CTC sensory scale and 59%, 55% and 80% with the oxalipalatin scale. Of the patients with grade 3-4 toxicity on the oxaliplatin scale, 23/53 had grade 1, 18/53 had grade 2 and 12/53 had grade 3 neurotoxicity on the NCI-CTC sensory scale. CONCLUSION The oxaliplatin and NCI-CTC sensory scales were comparable in identifying chemotherapy-induced neuropathy, but the oxaliplatin scale more often detected the progression of the symptoms.