Peripheral sensory neuropathy and cisplatin chemotherapy

Patients with advanced cancer, previously untreated, were given 60 mg/m2 cisplatin plus 60 mg/m2 adriamycin by monthly intravenous injections. Signs and symptoms of a predominantly sensory peripheral neuropathy developed in 92% of the patients. Patients complained of dysesthesias and paresthesias in hands and feet. Clinically, there was progressive decrease or loss of tendon reflexes, decreased vibratory sense, and mild decrease in light touch and pin sensation. Distal sensory latencies became prolonged or dropped out completely, but there was little change in motor nerve conduction velocities or motor unit action potentials. Sural nerve biopsies showed loss of large-diameter nerve fibers, with axonal and myelin degeneration.