Prevention
Ongoing neurological assessment of patients will lead to early identification of symptoms, prompt intervention (drug dose reduction, delay, or drug discontinuation), and prevention of severe, irreversible toxicity.
Methods used to decrease the risk of neurotoxicity in these patients include:
- decreasing the dose
- utilising a once-daily rather than twice-daily schedule
- shortening the course of treatment
- dose modification based on eGFR.r
Treatment
In the event of a change in neurological status discontinue cytarabine infusion immediately.
Stopping therapy usually results in recovery within several weeks. However, only 30% of patients have complete resolution of symptoms. There is no specific treatment, although methylprednisolone has been reported to be effective in some cases.r