title: A case of 5-fluorouracil-induced peripheral neuropathy.
abstract: The standard adjuvant therapy for rectal cancer is 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) often combined with radiotherapy. Well-documented side effects of 5-FU include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia, hand-foot syndrome, mucositis, and cardiotoxicity. Peripheral neurotoxicity has only rarely been reported. We report a patient with a stage II rectal carcinoma who developed a mild axonal sensorimotor neuropathy at the end of a 5-FU therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bart F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Werbrouck
authors.forename: Walter J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Pauwels
authors.forename: Jan L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: De Bleecker
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D010543:Peroneal Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D013979:Tibial Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D005472:Fluorouracil