Blood Pressure Elevation in Patients Undergoing FOLFOX / FOLFIRI Therapy

Abstract

In clinical monitoring, we have sometimes observed blood pressure elevation in patients undergoing FOFOX/FOLFIRI therapy for colorectal cancer at Tottori University Hospital. Therefore, we retrospectively investigated the occurrence of blood pressure elevation using our hospital’s information system. A difference in systolic blood pressure between before and after FOLFOX/FOLFIRI therapy of more than 20 mmHg, was defined as blood pressure elevation for this study.
Between April 2005 and March 2009, a total of 43 patients underwent more than 5 courses of FOLFOX/FOLFIRI therapy. Blood pressure elevation was observed in 10 of these 43 patients (23.3%) and it occurred both in patients receiving FOLFOX (n=7, 17.1%) and those receiving FOLFIRI (n=3, 14.3%). We then examined the findings for an association between blood pressure elevation and clinical characteristics of patients. There was no significant difference in the dose intensities or cumulative doses of the anticancer agents constituting FOLFOX/FOLFIRI therapy between patients with blood pressure elevation and those without. There was therefore no clear cause of the blood pressure elevation observed in patients who underwent FOLFOX/FOLFIRI therapy. However, physicians should carefully monitor changes in blood pressure and other basic vital signs in order to prevent a reduction in treatment options due to hypertension.