Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy

Neurotoxicity is a common problem in oncology practice and neurologists who care for cancer patients encounter a wide range of symptoms attributable to the side effects of radiation and/or chemotherapy. Complications involving the nervous system may be debilitating. Though generally improved by dose reduction or cessation of an offending agent, such symptoms can be irreversible and frequently have a profound impact on quality of life. The appropriate balance between therapeutic efficacy and drug or radiation toxicity requires close attention to the patient’s complaints as well as a thorough understanding of long-term consequences of both the disease and a given treatment’s side effects.