Background: It is becoming more common to include the para-aortic lymph nodes in the radiation fields of patients treated with concomitant weekly cisplatin for node-positive squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix.
Case: We report on two patients who developed unexpected subacute neurological toxicity with lower extremity paresis and paresthesis, beginning 1 and 4 months post-treatment.
Conclusion: We believe this to be a rare side effect of chemoradiation. As the dose delivered to the spinal nerve roots was less than 37 Gy in 25 fractions, we believe that the extended fields and concomitant cisplatin had a synergistic effect on the nerves.