CRYOTHERAPY FOR THE PREVENTION OF TAXANE-INDUCED PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY IN BREAST CANCER: A PROSPECTIVE MULTICENTER...

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common dose-limiting toxicity of taxane-based chemotherapy in breast cancer. Cryotherapy using cooling gloves and socks has been investigated as a preventive strategy, although evidence remains inconsistent. This study evaluated the effect of preventive cryotherapy on neuropathy-related pain and symptom burden in patients receiving taxane-containing chemotherapy.

This prospective multicenter controlled study included patients with stage I-IV breast cancer treated with taxane-based chemotherapy between March 2023 and September 2025. Patients either received cryotherapy during chemotherapy infusion or standard treatment without cryotherapy. Outcomes were assessed using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) and EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 questionnaire. The primary outcome was final ESAS pain score. Secondary outcomes included clinically meaningful pain (ESAS ≥4), change in pain from baseline, neuropathy-related extremity pain, overall symptom burden, and functional impairment.

A total of 190 patients were included (95 cryotherapy; 95 control) in the final analysis. No statistically significant difference was observed in adjusted final ESAS pain scores between groups, although a trend toward higher pain scores was observed in the cryotherapy group. Clinically meaningful pain (ESAS≥4) was more frequent in the cryotherapy group (20.0% vs 8.4%; p=0.022). Adjusted analyses demonstrated higher neuropathy-related extremity pain scores in the cryotherapy group. No significant differences were observed in overall symptom burden or functional impairment.

Preventive cryotherapy did not demonstrate a significant reduction in neuropathy-related pain in patients receiving taxane-based chemotherapy. Neuropathy-specific outcomes suggested higher extremity pain in patients undergoing cryotherapy. Further randomized studies with standardized protocols are warranted.