Chemotherapy‐induced peripheral neuropathy: A current review
- Study type
- Review article
- Design
- Review article (narrative)
- Sample size
- Not applicable (review article)
- Source
- Annals of Neurology · 2017
In plain words
Some chemotherapy drugs can damage the nerves of the hands and feet and cause pain, tingling or numbness; this side effect is called chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. About 30 to 40 percent of people who receive these drugs develop it, but how severe it is varies a great deal from person to person. In some patients the problem continues after treatment has ended. If you have such symptoms, tell your doctor early.
Key results
Study population
Patients with cancer treated with neurotoxic (nerve-damaging) chemotherapy. This is a review article and has no specific study population.
Endpoints
This is a review article and has no primary or secondary endpoint. Topics covered: the approach to peripheral neuropathy in patients with cancer, clinical phenotypes and pathogenic mechanisms of specific neurotoxic chemotherapy agents.
Safety and side effects
CIPN is a common, dose-limiting adverse effect of chemotherapy. It often presents with predominantly sensory symptoms accompanied by pain and can lead to long-term morbidity in cancer survivors.
Clinical significance and place in guidelines
This review emphasises the importance of recognising and following CIPN as a common, dose-limiting adverse effect of chemotherapy. As cancer survival improves, the burden of its late effects is likely to increase. The abstract does not give specific treatment recommendations; for practical recommendations and their place in clinical guidelines, the full text of the paper and current guidelines should be consulted.
Limitations
This is a narrative review, and its abstract does not report the literature search method or study selection criteria. The abstract gives no quantitative data apart from an approximate incidence estimate (30 to 40%). Details on specific drugs are in the full text of the paper.
This summary was prepared by the editorial team from the published paper; the original paper is the final reference. Read the original abstract on PubMed.