title: Spinal cord toxicity complicating treatment with cisplatin and etoposide.
abstract: Neurologic toxicity occurring in patients treated with cisplatin chemotherapy is limited primarily to peripheral neuropathy and ototoxicity. Lhermitte's sign, electric-like paresthesias precipitated by cervical spine flexion, has recently been described as a self-limited complication in cisplatin-treated patients. We report the development of Lhermitte's sign accompanied by cervical motor neuropathy, dorsal column myelopathy, and sensory neuropathy in a patient treated with cisplatin and etoposide for small cell lung cancer. Persistence of the neurologic deficit suggests that potentially irreversible spinal cord toxicity may complicate treatment with this chemotherapy combination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona.
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: List
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Kummet
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004409:Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects*; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*