OBJECTIVES:
Primary
* Determine the relationship between residual platinum levels in the blood and persistent neurotoxicity in patients receiving oxaliplatin for gastrointestinal cancer.
Secondary
* Determine the pharmacokinetics of oxaliplatin in these patients.
OUTLINE: This is an open-label, nonrandomized, multicenter study.
Patients receive oxaliplatin IV over 2 hours. Treatment repeats every 2-3 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
Neurological function and platinum levels in the blood are assessed at baseline, after each course of oxaliplatin, and at the end of study treatment.
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 58 patients will be accrued for this study.
