The Effect of Taxane Chemotherapy on Balance in Breast Cancer Patients

The purpose of this study is to describe the balance deficits prior to the initiation of taxane therapy and through the duration of treatment and compare balance to a cohort of women without taxane therapy. To our knowledge, a study like this has not been done yet it is a necessary next step in order to evaluate whether balance deficits resolve independent of treatment or if the balance deficits require targeted therapy. Other studies evaluating balance in taxane patients, have used cross-sectional study designs that are limited to observation at one point in time. Further, other evaluations have been limited in the measurement of balance using only self-report questionnaires, with no performance measurements of functional balance. Previous studies of other conditions have shown poor concordance between self-report questionnaires and performance measures. Therefore, our proposed longitudinal study improves the current knowledge about balance deficits during taxane therapy by quantifying the impact of taxane chemotherapy on balance during and after treatment using standardized and validated self-report and performance functional balance assessment tools. The results of this study will improve the treatment of balance deficits in women with taxane therapy by identifying the type, onset, duration, and severity of the deficits within each balance system. From these findings, targeted interventions, if required, could be developed. In addition, establishing feasibility and utility for quantifying balance impairments is necessary for the development of larger studies assessing the effects of rehabilitation interventions on functional disability due to CIPN. Such a study would be worthy of influencing changes in clinical practice to minimize disability from balance dysfunction before, during, and after chemotherapy, and thus maximizing function and quality of life during and after cancer treatment.