TITLE:
Oxaliplatin Induced Neurotoxicity among Patients with Colorectal Cancer: Documentation in Medical Records—A Pilot Study
AUTHORS:
Jenny E. Drott, Hans Starkhammar, Sussanne Börjeson, Carina M. Berterö
KEYWORDS:
Adjuvant Oxaliplatin Chemotherapy; Colorectal Cancer; Medical Record Review; Neurotoxicity; Summative Content Analysis
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Nursing,
Vol.4 No.4,
April
9,
2014
ABSTRACT: Patients with
colorectal cancer (CRC) can have chemotherapy with oxaliplatin postoperatively.
Oxaliplatin can cause acute and chronic neurotoxicity. It is important to be
aware of neurotoxic side effects so they can be documented and action taken at
an early stage. The study aimed to identify and explore neurotoxic side effects
documented in the medical records of patients with colorectal cancer treated
with oxaliplatin-based adjuvant chemotherapy. Data in this study were medical records; presenting
documentation about patients treated at the University Hospital in the south of
Sweden between 2009 and 2010. A summative content analysis approach was used to
explore the neurotoxic side effects. Identification and quantification of the
content of medical records were carried out by using a study-specific protocol. “Cold sensitivity” and “tingling in the hands” were the most frequently documented neurotoxicity-related terms in the medical
records. This identification was followed by interpretation. Three categories
were identified in the interpretive part of the study: acute, chronic, and degree of neurotoxicity. The
results show the importance of awareness of neurotoxic side effects so that
they can be documented and action taken at an early stage. The documentation
could be more reliable if patient-reported structured measurements were used,
combined with free descriptions in the medical records. Being able to follow
the progression of the symptoms during and after treatment would improve
patient’s safety and also quality of life. The protocol that we developed and
used in this review of medical records may be helpful to structure the
documentation in the electronic system for documentation of neurotoxicity side
effects.