Background: Oxaliplatin and taxane-induced neurosensory toxicity is dose-limiting and mostly presents with acute symptoms that affect the activities of daily living and overall quality of life. The objective of the present study is to assess the relief of acute neuropathy with venlafaxine treatment during the chemotherapy period.
Patients and methods: In this retrospective case-control study, from January 2010 to February 2015, patients who experienced treatment with oxaliplatin and taxane-induced acute neurotoxicity were evaluated according to the NCI-CTCAE v. 4.03 grading scale. Neurotoxicity was evaluated using a numeric rating scale (NRS) for pain intensity and experienced relief under the treatment of venlafaxine and using a neuropathic pain symptom inventory scale (NPSI) for the style of complaints. Patients who were diagnosed as mildly depressed according to the HOST anxiety and depression scale and who had grade 1 to 3 sensory neurotoxicity based on the NCI-CTCAE v. 4.03 grading scale, and who also reported ≥ 4/10 on a NRS were eligible. The primary end point was the rate of more than 75 % symptomatic relief under venlafaxine treatment.
Results: Two hundred six patients were included (82 % female, median age: 52.7 years). Most patients had breast, gynecologic, and colon cancer (93.4 %). Ninety-one patients who received venlafaxine and 115 patients as the control group were assessed for neurotoxicity every 3 weeks. Based on the NRS, a rate of more than 75 % symptomatic relief was 53.5, 58.3, and 45.2 % in venlafaxine arm versus 0, 0, and 0 % in the control arm in the first, second, and third visits, respectively. Side-effects of venlafaxine (n = 7) were grade 1-2 nausea/vomiting (3.2 %) and asthenia/somnolence (3.2 %) without grade 3-4 events.
Conclusion: Venlafaxine has a significant clinical activity against taxane-oxaliplatin-induced acute neurosensory toxicity.
Keywords: Docetaxel; Neurotoxicity; Oxaliplatin; Paclitaxel; Venlafaxine.