title: Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy Among Paediatric Oncology Patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vinca alkaloids and platinum-containing chemotherapeutic drugs have the potential to cause chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). This study determined the frequency of CIPN among children who were treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), lymphoma, brain tumour or Wilms tumour.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective cohort study reviewed 252 patients treated at the Children's hospital of Eastern Ontario from 2001-2011. Patients were considered to have CIPN if they developed clinical symptoms of CIPN such as limb paraesthesia, weakness and/or ataxia during chemotherapy and their treating neurologist or oncologist deemed that their symptoms were due to a peripheral cause. Patients were excluded if their treatment regime did not include chemotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall frequency of CIPN was 18.3% (46/252). Tumour-specific CIPN rates were: 18.9% (29/154) for ALL; 9.4% (3/32) for lymphoma; 17.9% (5/28) for Wilms tumour; and 23.7% (9/38) for brain tumour patients. Nerve conduction studies were completed for 17% of patients (all tumour types) and were abnormal in all but one patient. Among surviving CIPN patients (41/46), 93% showed no clinical deficits at their last examination, which was on average 56 months from time of diagnosis to last follow-up visit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The frequency of CIPN was less than that previously reported in adults receiving chemotherapy. Children with CIPN have a favourable outcome with most showing clinical improvement during the maintenance phase of treatment or after chemotherapy completion.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Purser
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: McMillan
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008495:Medical Oncology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents