Assessing sexual exposure to oxaliplatin in vaginal secretions during FOLFOX chemotherapy: a case report.
Katherine Bolten, Lisa Bleyle, Andrea DeBarber et al.
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Case in brief
A 54-year-old woman with stage IIIA rectal cancer collected vaginal swabs and urine for five consecutive days during two FOLFOX chemotherapy cycles. Testing for intact oxaliplatin found that urine levels peaked the day after chemotherapy and remained detectable for up to three days. With polysorb swabs, vaginal oxaliplatin was detected only on the first day after treatment, at the assay’s limit of detection; levels were below detection thereafter. Allowing conservatively for sample loss during freezing, the authors estimated that a swab could contain up to 2.5 ng on that first day.
What made this case unusual
The report quantified oxaliplatin in vaginal secretions after chemotherapy, while also identifying substantial degradation with freezing and better recovery using polysorb rather than cotton swabs.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
When assessing potential partner exposure to chemotherapy, consider the sampling method and specimen handling: freezing degraded vaginal-swab oxaliplatin, and polysorb swabs improved recovery.
Why it matters
The findings suggest a possible immediate post-chemotherapy exposure window during intercourse and provide methods for future patient-centered studies of partner exposure.