title: Precise evaluation of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy using the visual analogue scale: a quantitative and comparative analysis of neuropathy occurring with paclitaxel-carboplatin and docetaxel-carboplatin therapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Some regimens of chemotherapy cause peripheral neuropathy such as pain in muscles and joints and numbness in the limbs. It is often difficult to estimate the neuropathy accurately and analyze it in detail. The aim of this study was to investigate whether chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy could be appropriately estimated by using the visual analogue scale (VAS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-three patients who received paclitaxel and carboplatin treatment (TC) or paclitaxel and docetaxel treatment (DC) participated in answering a questionnaire about peripheral neuropathy using the VAS. As a result, 134 cycles of TC and 79 cycles of DC were evaluated. The average of VAS scores at every 10 days after each cycle of chemotherapy began was calculated. The daily change in VAS scores was also analyzed, and average VAS scores compared between TC and DC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Daily changes in peripheral neuropathy for each treatment could be demonstrated in detail. Pain and numbness had separate patterns of appearance. For both pain and numbness, a greater VAS score was observed in patients receiving TC than in those receiving DC. As the number of cycles grew, peripheral neuropathy became more serious in TC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The VAS could appropriately recognize the difference in peripheral neuropathy between TC and DC. Moreover, the VAS could also catch the change in peripheral neuropathy. This result suggests that the VAS system is a useful tool for managing peripheral neuropathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Asahi-machi 67, Kurume, Fukuoka, 830-0011, Japan. takemoto_shyuuji@kurume-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shuji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takemoto
authors.forename: Kimio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ushijima
authors.forename: Kazumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Honda
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Atsumu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Terada
authors.forename: Hiroto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Imaishi
authors.forename: Toshiharu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kamura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity; D000077143:Docetaxel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D016190:Carboplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel