Polyneuropathy following vincristine therapy in two patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome

The neurotoxicity of vincristine sulfate, a commonly used antineoplastic agent, has been well described. A literature review failed to reveal any absolute contraindications to the initial use of vincristine. We describe two patients with nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease in whom a rapidly progressive, but reversible, severe polyneuropathy developed when they were given a total of 4 mg of vincristine sulfate. Each was later shown to have the demyelinating form of Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome. This association suggests that the use of vincristine is contraindicated in patients with the demyelinating form of Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome.