Neurotoxicity of Commonly Used Antineoplastic Agents

Abstract

THE incidence of neurologic disorders has been steadily increasing in several neoplastic diseases as recent advances in therapy have lengthened patient survival.^{1 2 3} The neurologic complications of cancer most frequently result from metastasis to the nervous system or compression of neural structures by extraneural tumor. In addition, an interesting group of nonmetastatic neuromuscular disorders has recently been described,^{4 , 5} and the broad concept of "carcinomatous neuromyopathy" is frequently invoked to explain obscure neurologic symptoms in patients with cancer.⁶ However, it is also important to realize that neurologic dysfunction may be iatrogenic — i.e., caused by the treatment of cancer. Radiation myelitis and . . .