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  • Review Article
  • Published:

Cancer-treatment-induced neurotoxicity—focus on newer treatments

Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology volume 13, pages 92–105 (2016)Cite this article

Subjects

Key Points

  • Cancer treatments are associated with substantial neurotoxicity, which is a diagnosis of exclusion

  • Treatments affect both the central and peripheral nervous systems

  • Biological and immunological therapies have different mechanisms of toxicity

  • Recognition of neurotoxicity is important to prevent further neurological injury and to distinguish this toxicity from nervous system involvement of cancer

Abstract

Neurotoxicity caused by traditional chemotherapy and radiotherapy is widely recognized in patients with cancer. The adverse effects of newer therapeutics, such as biological and immunotherapeutic agents, are less well established, and are associated with considerable neurotoxicity in the central and peripheral nervous systems. This Review addresses the main neurotoxicities of cancer treatment with a focus on the newer therapeutics. Recognition of these patterns of toxicity is important because drug discontinuation or dose adjustment might prevent further neurological injury. Knowledge of these toxicities also helps to differentiate treatment-related symptoms from progression of cancer or its involvement of the nervous system. Familiarity with the neurological syndromes associated with cancer treatments enables clinicians to use the appropriate treatment for the underlying malignancy while minimizing the risk of neurological damage, which might preserve patients' quality of life.

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Figure 1: Leukoencephalopathy.
Figure 2: Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome.
Figure 3: Radiation-induced cavernomas.

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  1. Department of Neurology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, 10065, NY, USA

    Jacqueline B. Stone & Lisa M. DeAngelis

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Both authors researched data for article, wrote the manuscript and reviewed and edited the manuscript before submission.

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Correspondence to Lisa M. DeAngelis.

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Stone, J., DeAngelis, L. Cancer-treatment-induced neurotoxicity—focus on newer treatments. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 13, 92–105 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrclinonc.2015.152

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