Abstract
Purpose
Colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors receiving oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy frequently develop chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). This study investigated the impact of CIPN symptoms on psychological distress and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among oxaliplatin-treated CRC survivors up to 5 years post-treatment.
Methods
124 CRC patients treated with oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy participating in a prospective cohort study were included in the longitudinal analyses. CIPN symptoms were measured at diagnosis (pre-treatment) and at 6 weeks and 6, 12, 24, and 60 months post-treatment using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-CIPN20 (EORTC QLQ-CIPN20). Psychological distress, including anxiety and depressive symptoms, and HRQoL were measured at all post-treatment time points using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the EORTC QLQ-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30), respectively. Confounder-adjusted longitudinal associations of CIPN symptoms with psychological distress and HRQoL were analysed with linear mixed regression models.
Results
CIPN symptoms in oxaliplatin-treated CRC patients were highest at 6 weeks post-treatment, thereafter gradually decreasing over time. More severe CIPN symptoms were longitudinally associated with more psychological distress (HADS), including both higher anxiety and depressive symptoms, and with worse global health/QoL and physical and social functioning and more fatigue (EORTC QLQ-C30).
Conclusion
CIPN symptoms, persisting over time among oxaliplatin-treated CRC survivors, were longitudinally associated with more psychological distress and lower HRQoL up to 5 years after chemotherapy treatment.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors receiving oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy frequently develop chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). This study investigated the impact of CIPN symptoms on psychological distress and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among oxaliplatin-treated CRC survivors up to 5 years post-treatment.
Methods
124 CRC patients treated with oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy participating in a prospective cohort study were included in the longitudinal analyses. CIPN symptoms were measured at diagnosis (pre-treatment) and at 6 weeks and 6, 12, 24, and 60 months post-treatment using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-CIPN20 (EORTC QLQ-CIPN20). Psychological distress, including anxiety and depressive symptoms, and HRQoL were measured at all post-treatment time points using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the EORTC QLQ-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30), respectively. Confounder-adjusted longitudinal associations of CIPN symptoms with psychological distress and HRQoL were analysed with linear mixed regression models.
Results
CIPN symptoms in oxaliplatin-treated CRC patients were highest at 6 weeks post-treatment, thereafter gradually decreasing over time. More severe CIPN symptoms were longitudinally associated with more psychological distress (HADS), including both higher anxiety and depressive symptoms, and with worse global health/QoL and physical and social functioning and more fatigue (EORTC QLQ-C30).
Conclusion
CIPN symptoms, persisting over time among oxaliplatin-treated CRC survivors, were longitudinally associated with more psychological distress and lower HRQoL up to 5 years after chemotherapy treatment.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Journal of Cancer Survivorship |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Nov 2025 |
Keywords
- Colorectal cancer
- Cancer survivors
- Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy
- Psychological distress
- Health-related quality of life
