Four in 10 patients treated with chemotherapy experience persistent severe peripheral nerve pain, a recent study found.
The study, published in Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine, analyzed data from 77 studies across 28 countries that included 10,962 patients. Of those patients, 4,545 had painful and persistent nerve pain that lasted at least 3 months. The studies were all published between 2000 and 2024, and the majority of the studies came from the U.S. (13) and Japan (10).
"Understanding the prevalence and predictors of chronic painful [chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy] is critical for promoting early diagnosis and developing personalized treatment strategies," the researchers wrote in a Jan. 29 news release. "Our findings emphasize that chronic painful [chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy] represents a substantial global health challenge, affecting more than 40% of those diagnosed with [it]."
Here are four things to know:
1. Chemotherapy drugs damage healthy cells and tissues. Effects can manifest in movement disturbances, loss of sensation or a burning sensation on the skin, and are considered chronic when they last for at least 3 months.
2. Platinum-based drugs and taxanes were associated with the highest rates of persistent painful neuropathy.
3. Patients under treatment for bowel, lung and breast cancer had the highest number of lasting nerve pain at 33%, 62% and 22%, respectively.
4. In total, about 41% of all chemotherapy patients experienced persistent painful peripheral neuropathy.