title: Duloxetine improves oxaliplatin-induced neuropathy in patients with colorectal cancer: an open-label pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This open-label pilot study is aimed to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of the antidepressant duloxetine, which is effective for diabetic neuropathic pain, in the treatment of chronic oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy (OIPN).
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled a total of 39 patients with stage III or IV colorectal cancer with chronic OIPN. They were treated with duloxetine by increasing the dose from 30 mg/day to 60 mg/day. Patients' pain intensity was rated at baseline and 12 weeks after duloxetine administration. The severity of neuropathic pain was evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS) score and the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Events, version 3 (NCI-CTCAE v3.0).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine patients (23.1%) discontinued duloxetine before the end of treatment because of adverse events. Of the remaining 30 patients, 19 patients (63.3%) had a VAS score improvement. Among them, nine (47.4%) showed a simultaneous grade improvement, and the other 10 patients (52.6%) had a stable grade according to NCI-CTCAE v3.0. Treatment with duloxetine did not impair renal or liver function and did not interfere with chemotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Duloxetine is feasible in treating chronic OIPN with tolerable toxicity at a daily dose of 60 mg/day.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Taipei City Hospital Renai Branch, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ya-Hsu
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jen-Kou
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Wei-Shone
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Tzu-Chen
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Shung-Haur
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jeng-Kai
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Shih-Ching
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Yuan-Tzu
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: Chun-Chi
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chueh-Chuan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Yen
authors.forename: Cheng-Hwai
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Tzeng
authors.forename: Wei-Shu
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Huey-Ling
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: Chung-Jen
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.forename: Hao-Wei
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Teng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D000068736:Duloxetine Hydrochloride; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D013876:Thiophenes; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D000068736:Duloxetine Hydrochloride