[Primary assessment of treatment effect of thymosin alpha1 on chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicity].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Clinical trails showed that thymosin alpha1 offers protection from toxicities (nausea, vomiting, fatigue) of chemotherapy. This study was designed to investigate the protection of thymosin alpha1 to nervous system. METHODS: Twenty-two patients with advanced lung cancer, or advanced breast cancer were treated with vinorelbine (25 mg/m(2), d(1), d(8)) combined with cisplatin (80 mg/m(2), d(1)), or gemcitabine (1.25 g/m(2), d(1), d(8)) combined with cisplatin (80 mg/m(2), d(1)),or paclitaxel (80 mg/m(2), d(1), d(8), d(15)) combined with carboplatin (AUC=6 d(1)),or paclitaxel (80 mg/m(2), d(1), d(8), d(15)) combined with epirubicin (80 mg/m(2), d(1)). They all experienced grade 2 to 4 of neurotoxicities according to common toxicity criteria of National Cancer Institute after chemotherapy. The same chemotherapy regimens were combined with thymosin alpha1 (1.6 mg/d for 4 days before chemotherapy, and 1.6 mg twice weekly for 1-3 weeks after chemotherapy began) in the next cycle. Clinical neurologic evaluation was performed at baseline every week. RESULTS: In 10 patients (45.4%), neurotoxicities reduced from grade 2-4 before chemotherapy to less than grade 2 after chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: Thymosin alpha1 may prevent patients from chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicities.