Neuropathy experienced by colorectal cancer patients receiving oxaliplatin: A qualitative study to validate the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy/Gynecologic Oncology Group-Neurotoxicity scale

Table 3 Patient reported symptoms of neuropathy and impact on health-related quality of life (n = 31), n (%)

Symptom	Number of patients who listed the symptom	Importance for health-related quality of life, 0 = not at all important, 10 = extremely important mean (range)	Symptom definition
Hand tingling	27 (87.0)	4.9 (0-10)	Feeling of pins and needles, stabbing, or prickling in one’s hands
Numbness - feet	26 (83.8)	6.0 (0-10)	Lack of feeling or sensation causing discomfort in one’s feet
Tingling - feet	25 (80.6)	5.8 (0-10)	Feeling of pins and needles, stabbing, or a prickling sensation in one’s feet
Cold sensitivity - hands/feet	23 (74.1)	6.7 (1-10)	Feeling of shock, stinging, or pain upon touching cold items with hands or feet
Numbness – hands	21 (67.7)	5.6 (0-10)	Lack of feeling or sensation in one’s hands
Discomfort/pain - feet	14 (45.1)	7.3 (3-10)	Aches (sometimes throbbing), or pain when standing on one’s feet
Impaired fine motor skills	13 (41.9)	7.2 (3-10)	Trouble buttoning buttons, grasping, or holding objects with one’s hands
Discomfort/pain - hands	12 (38.7)	7.3 (3-9)	Achy, stinging, or stiff sensation in one’s hands
Joint pain/muscle cramps	7 (22.5)	6.4 (3-10)	Feeling of stiffness, pain, or aches in joints, hand fatigue, or cramps in one’s legs or feet
Cold sensitivity - eating/drinking	6 (19.3)	5.6 (2-10)	Feeling as if sharp objects are scratching one’s throat, causing pain when swallowing cold food or drink
Trouble walking	6 (19.3)	6.8 (2-10)	Difficulty feeling feet when on the floor, resulting in stumbling or clumsiness when walking
Discomfort/pain - other body parts	5 (16.1)	7.6 (3-10)	Various sensations covered including clenched jaw, heavy sensation of the eyelid, leg pain or spasms
Abnormal sensation - foot	4 (12.9)	6.3 (4-8)	Feeling as if a small object (e.g., walnut) is beneath one’s foot. Affects balance and walking
Cold sensitivity - other body part	4 (12.9)	4.3 (3-7)	Internal feeling of body coldness (as opposed to on the surface). Spasms or twitching of one’s face, eyes, or chest. when exposed to cold temperatures
Cold sensitivity - breathing	3 (9.6)	8.0 (7-9)	Sensitivity to cold temperatures affecting one’s nose (burning) or throat (closure, spasm, choking)
Numbness - legs	2 (6.4)	5.0 (5)	Feeling of prickling or general sense of fatigue in one’s legs or calves
Abnormal sensations – other body part	2 (6.4)	3.0 (1-5)	Less common abnormal bodily sensations include feeling of coldness inside one’s head and heavy sensation of the eyelids
Burning feet	2 (6.4)	2.0 (0-4)	Burning sensation in one’s feet causing discomfort when touched

Side effects listed by 1 patient each: Ringing ears, Blurry vision, Numbness – tongue, Swelling hands, Discomfort/pain – general, Tingling – legs; Abnormal sensation – eyelid, Numbness – lips, Spasms – chest, Twitching face, Abnormal sensations - other body part.