LONG-TERM PERIPHERAL NEUROTOXICITY OF CISPLATIN IN PATIENTS WITH SUCCESSFULLY TREATED EPITHELIAL OVARIAN-CANCER

We evaluated clinically and neurophysiologically the immediate and lon g-term involvement of the peripheral nervous system in 22 selected pat ients with epithelial ovarian cancer successfully treated with DDP alo ne or in combination with non-neurotoxic drugs. While the motor nerves were unaffected, generally the involvement of sensory nerves was more severe at the examination performed several months after DDP disconti nuation than at the evaluation performed after the ''induction phase'' . We conclude that up to now the importance of long-term DDP-induced p eripheral nerve damage has probably been understimated. DDP-induced lo ng-term damage is at least as severe as the immediate toxicity and, mo reover, it is likely that complete recovery can occur, if ever, only y ears after DDP discontinuation.