Dr. Eng on Contraindications for Oxaliplatin-Based Therapy in CRC

Cathy Eng, MD, FACP, FASCO, David H. Johnson Chair in Surgical and Medical Oncology, co-leader, Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancer Research Program, professor of medicine (hematology and oncology), co-director, GI Oncology, vice chair, SWOG GI Committee, and director, VICC Young Adult Cancers Initiative, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, discusses ​contraindications for oxaliplatin-based therapy in colorectal cancer (CRC). 

​Patients ​with CRC who are receiving oxaliplatin can develop ​allergic hypersensitivity reactions, says Eng. Moreover, these reactions tend to be delayed and can occur during subsequent cycles of therapy. Oxaliplatin should be stopped in any patients who develop an allergic hypersensitivity reaction.

Additionally, oxaliplatin can cause acute or chronic neuropathy​, Eng says. Acute neuropathy causes cold hypersensitivity and lasts about 5 to 7 days after therapy.​ Chronic neuropathy arises after receiving therapy ​and can be cumulative and prolonged, Eng explains.

Notably, patients with brittle diabetes may have underlying neuropathy. As such, ​diabetic patients with CRC should not receive oxaliplatin-based therapy, Eng concludes.