Neurological manifestations in a phase 2 study of 13 patients treated with doxyfluridine

Doxyfluridine is a new cytostatic drug of the fluoropyrimidine group, which may prove to have a high antitumor activity with less toxic side effects. Thirteen patients with advanced colorectal cancer were given doxyfluridine 2 g/m2 as a one-hour infusion for five days every three weeks and examined neurologically and neurophysiologically. One patient experienced an acute, reversible cerebellopathy after the second treatment course and developed a progressive generalized encephalopathy during the subsequent third and fourth cycle. The frequency of cerebellopathy may depend on the dosage and type of administration of the drug. Five patients developed a mild, mainly sensory polyneuropathy. High age, weight loss and decreasing general condition seem to be important factors in the development of polyneuropathy during doxyfluridine treatment, and this stresses the importance of optimal nutrition during the treatment period.