A New Diagnostic Method to Assess Paclitaxel-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common side effect of many chemotherapeutic agents, especially antineoplastic agents. To limit the nerve damages, early detection and management of CIPN is crucial and leaves an urgent demand for new diagnostic tools. Perception threshold tracking has enabled assessments of nerve excitability tests of both small and large sensory nerves and may be used to assess CIPN at early stages. The purpose of this study is to examine whether a new nerve excitability test can detect changes in the membrane properties of the small and large nerve fibers during chemotherapy treatment.

In this study nerve excitability tests will be performed with 2 different electrodes using a novel perception threshold tracking technique to assess the Nerve excitability of small and large fibers. Further quantitative sensory tests (QST) will be performed to estimate the vibration threshold, warm and cool perception thresholds, heat and cold pain thresholds, and perceived intensity to static mechanic stimulations will be assessed. Symptoms of CIPN will be assessed using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse events scale and a Quality of Life Questionnaire CIPN twenty-item scale.