Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 9, 2026

Development and Standardization of an Ex Vivo Micromethod for Intracellular Quantification of Vincristine in Primary ALL Cells by LC-MS/MS
08:24

Development and Standardization of an Ex Vivo Micromethod for Intracellular Quantification of Vincristine in Primary ALL Cells by LC-MS/MS

Published on: January 23, 2026

Measuring vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathy in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Ellen M Lavoie Smith1, Lang Li, Raymond J Hutchinson

  • 1School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. ellenls@umich.edu

Cancer Nursing
|July 12, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Quantifying vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathy (VIPN) in children is challenging. The Total Neuropathy Score-Pediatric Vincristine (TNS©-PV) is a reliable and valid tool for assessing VIPN in pediatric patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Oncology
  • Neuro-oncology
  • Clinical Pharmacology

Background:

  • Vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathy (VIPN) presents significant challenges in quantification among pediatric patients.
  • Accurate assessment of VIPN is crucial for managing treatment toxicity in children with cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the reliability, validity, and clinical feasibility of various VIPN assessment tools in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
  • To identify the most effective measure for quantifying neurotoxicity during vincristine treatment in pediatric oncology.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 65 children (aged 1-18 years) undergoing vincristine therapy at four academic centers were assessed.
  • Multiple instruments were used, including the Total Neuropathy Score-Pediatric Vincristine (TNS©-PV), NCI-CTCAE, Balis scale, and FACES Pain Scale.
  • Pharmacokinetic data and TNS©-PV scores were collected over 15 weeks.

Main Results:

  • The TNS©-PV demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .84) and correlated with cumulative vincristine dose, pharmacokinetic parameters, and other grading scales.
  • The FACES Pain Scale was usable across all age groups and correlated with neuropathic pain items on the TNS©-PV.
  • A two-item V-Rex score showed high responsiveness to change (effect size = 0.65), and TNS©-PV was feasible in 95% of children aged 6 and older.

Conclusions:

  • The TNS©-PV is a reliable, valid, and sensitive measure for assessing VIPN in children aged 6 years and older.
  • The TNS©-PV is a feasible and potentially valuable tool for monitoring vincristine-related neurotoxicity in pediatric ALL patients.
Abstract

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