Oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy and quality of life in patients with digestive system cancer

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the levels of oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy (OXLIPN) and the quality of life (QOL) related to OXLIPN in patients with digestive system cancer. Methods: A total of 83 patients with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN)-related symptoms participated in this study. Data were collected through self-reported questionnaire which were constructed to include general and clinical characteristics, EORTC QLQ-C30, Patient Neurotoxicity Questionnaire (PNQ), and EORTC QLQ-CIPN20. Results: The average scores of OXLIPN upper and lower extremity scale were 30.01 and 29.16, respectively. The average scores of PNQ sensory and motor scale were 2.11 and 1.70, respectively. The mean score of the QLQ-C30 global health status was 54.85, and the range of mean score of the functional and symptom subdomains was 34.85~73.29 and 17.67~53.54, respectively. The CIPN-related symptoms positively correlated with the global health status scale and all subdomains of functional scale, respectively and negatively correlated with fatigue, pain, dyspnea, insomnia, and financial problem subdomains of the symptom scale, respectively. Conclusion: Oncology nurses should pay attention and provide remedies for CIPN symptoms reported by their patients. Nursing interventions should be developed for patients with digestive system cancer to alleviate CIPN and enhance their QOL.