A paclitaxel-containing chemotherapy does not cause central nervous adverse effects: a prospective study in patients with ovarian cancer
Mayerhofer, K.; Bodner-Adler, B.; Bodner, K.; Saletu, B.; Schindl, M.; Kaider, A.; Hefler, L.; Leodolter, S.; Kainz, C.
Anticancer Research 20(5c): 4051-4055
2000
ISSN/ISBN: 0250-7005 PMID: 11268500 Document Number: 512253
The objective of this study was to evaluate the possible effects of a paclitaxel containing chemotherapy on different neuropsychological parameters in women with ovarian cancer. Twenty-eight women with histologically documented epithelial ovarian carcinoma and treated with a combination chemotherapy consisting of paclitaxel and carboplatin entered the study. The patients were tested with a battery of different neuropsychological tests before, after 3 cycles and at the end of the chemotherapy. Twenty of the 28 patients responded to the chemotherapy (71%). Eleven patients (39%) developed peripheral neurotoxicity. The median values of 6 tests performed before the first chemotherapy cycle scored out of the normal range. These patients with deviant test results at the beginning of the paclitaxel/carboplatin infusions did not deteriorate during chemotherapy. We found a statistically significant improvement of the alphabetical cross out test from the first to the third measurement (mean increase = 4.07; 95% confidence interval = [0.99; 7.15]) (p < 0.05), indicating an improvement of the short-term attention, the concentration and the constancy of working during chemotherapy. The other tests failed to show statistically significant changes during chemotherapy (p > 0.05). According to our results, a chemotherapy consisting of paclitaxel/carboplatin caused no signs of acute central nervous toxicity or neuropsychological deterioration.