Chemotherapy-induced Moderate to Severe Peripheral Neuropathy in Patients Receiving Adjuvant Radiotherapy for Breast...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Neurology
• Medical Technology

Background:

• Chemotherapy before adjuvant radiotherapy can cause peripheral sensory and autonomic neuropathy (PNP) in breast cancer patients.
• Early detection and management of PNP are crucial for patient well-being.
• A mobile application may aid in identifying and grading PNP.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the prevalence of pre-radiotherapy PNP in breast cancer patients.
• To identify risk factors associated with chemotherapy-induced moderate to severe PNP.
• To provide baseline data for validating a mobile-based PNP assessment tool.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 133 breast cancer patients receiving pre-adjuvant radiotherapy chemotherapy.
• Assessment of incidence and risk factors for moderate to severe PNP.
• Multivariate analysis to determine significant associations.

Main Results:

• The incidence of moderate to severe PNP was 27.8%.
• Significant risk factors included Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) ≤80, cardiovascular disease, smoking (≥10 pack years), and beta-blocker use.
• A trend for autoimmune disease history was observed.

Conclusions:

• A substantial proportion of breast cancer patients experience moderate to severe PNP before radiotherapy.
• Radiation oncologists must be aware of PNP prevalence and risk factors.
• Identified risk factors can guide early PNP detection and inform mobile-app validation studies.