title: [The tumor cured, but what about the patient?].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polyneuropathy is defined as a simultaneous malfunction of several peripheral nerves, which could be a toxic side effect of cancer therapy; however, this is reported to occur rarely and difficult to confirm.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the study was to introduce, at the first time, the calorimetry in the diagnosis of neuropathy in an experimental animal model. The study was inspired by the forensic investigation of a 53-year-old cancer survivor female patient, in whom the development of polyneuropathy could be caused by cyclophosphamide therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult guinea pigs were injected intraperitoneally with the dose of cyclophosphamide, comparable to the human dosage. Animals were euthanized, then nerve and muscle samples were analyzed using a SETARAM Micro calorimeter. Denaturation temperatures were measured and the calorimetric enthalpies were calculated based on the areas under thermal absorption curves.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thermal denaturations of the samples were decreased and the calorimetric enthalpies were increased depending on the doses of cyclophosphamide. The nerves were more sensitive to chemotherapy as compared to the muscles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is concluded that toxic effects of cyclophosphamide on peripheral nerves and muscles can be measured and analysed by calorimetry, and that the effect was dose dependent.
authors.affiliation: Pécsi Tudományegyetem, Általános Orvostudományi Kar Igazságügyi Orvostani Intézet Pécs.
authors.forename: Franciska
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Könczöl
authors.forename: Nelli
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Farkas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002151:Calorimetry / Q000379:methods; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D007866:Leg / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D010052:Ovariectomy; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000601:surgery; D011115:Polyneuropathies / Q000139:chemically induced*; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D002945:Cisplatin