Capecitabine-associated cerebellar ataxia

Purpose. A case of capecitabine-associated cerebellar ataxia is presented. Summary. A 65-year-old white woman with stage IV colorectal cancer with liver metastasis was started on a chemotherapy regimen of capecitabine, oxaliplatin, and bevacizumab, given every three weeks. She tolerated the first two treatment cycles fairly well without major toxicities. The capecitabine dosage was started at 2000 mg daily for 14 days during the first cycle and increased to 2500 and 3000 mg daily during the second and the third cycles, respectively. On day 5 of the third cycle, the patient reported increased nausea, fatigue, and sleepiness, and the dosage of capecitabine was subsequently reduced to 2500 mg daily. On day 12 of the fourth treatment cycle, she reported ongoing lightheadedness and progressive gait disturbance with worsening ataxia over the past 3 days. Her capecitabine dosage was further reduced to 2000 mg daily, and the time between treatment intervals was increased to four weeks. The patient continued to experience intermittent, but less severe, ataxia during the fifth treatment cycle. On the day before the seventh cycle was to begin, she had ataxic gait and could not walk without assistance. Subsequent magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed no evidence of brain metastasis or cerebellar abnormality. The chemotherapy was postponed for a total of six weeks until the ataxia completely resolved. Her chemotherapy was ultimately discontinued due to disease progression. Her neurologic symptoms did not recur. Conclusion. A patient receiving capecitabine-containing chemotherapy developed persistent but reversible cerebellar ataxia.