Objective   This work aimed to observe and analyze oxaliplatin-related neurotoxicity in patients with resectable colorectal cancer.

  Methods   Ninety-three patients with resectable colorectal cancer received adjuvant chemotherapy with oxaliplatin.The incidence and severity of neurotoxicity was recorded.The correlation of acute and chronic neurotoxicity with clinical characteristics and chemotherapeutic regimens was analyzed.A 12-item neurotoxicity questionnaire (NTX-12) was used for a long-term assessment of whether and how excess neurotoxicity persists.

  Results   Through completion of the treatment, 47.3% of the patients developed acute neurotoxicity, but severe (grade 3) acute neurotoxicity was rare (1.1%).The incidence of chronic neurotoxicity was fairly high, with 82.8% of patients developing chronic neurotoxicity, whereas severe (grade 3) chronic neurotoxicity was common (15.1%).Chronic neurotoxicity was evidently correlated with the cumulative dose of oxaliplatin administration.Acute neurotoxicity was not correlated to chronic neurotoxicity.Chronic neurotoxicity was more common and serious in senior patients (95.2% vs.72.5%, P=0.014).Moreover, NTX-12 score before treatment was also higher in senior patients (2.45 vs.0.47, P < 0.001).Six months after the end of treatment, 41.9% of the patients suffered neurotoxicity of various grades, with two patients (2.2%) reporting grade 3.Twelve months after treatment, grades 1 to 2 and grade 3 neurotoxicity were observed in 28% and 1.1% of patients, respectively.As regards neurotoxicity, the mFOLFOX6 regimen was found to be similar to FOLFOX4.

  Conclusion   Oxaliplatin-related neurotoxicity is rather common.Most patients suffering neurotoxicity could recover within 12 months.Intensive follow up and medical advice would be necessary to improve medication safety further.