HonorHealth Research Institute study looks for ways to prevent or reduce nerve damage in pancreatic cancer patients treated with chemotherapy
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Nov. 19, 2024 — Early adoption of occupational therapy in pancreatic cancer patients may prevent the early onset of a type of nerve damage common among patients undergoing chemotherapy, according to a study by the HonorHealth Research Institute.
One of the risks from modern cancer therapies is a condition called chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), which is the loss of feeling in the hands and feet. This results from nerve damage and is often accompanied by tingling, stabbing pain. Severe cases can make the arms and legs feel so heavy that they seem nearly locked into place.
CIPN is a common debilitation associated with neurotoxic chemotherapy. Despite many prevention studies, there continues to be a lack of effective preventative treatment options. According to the study: “Current evidence suggests that — except for duloxetine — pharmacologic agents, herbal remedies, supplemental products and other modalities lack strong evidence for treating or preventing CIPN.”
In patients with pancreatic cancer, even advanced targeted therapies — such as the combination gemcitabine, paclitaxel and cisplatin — may result in peripheral neuropathy. Severe cases can require dose reductions or cessation of treatment, which can impact the patient’s quality of life and odds of survival.
The primary objective of the randomized double-blind clinical trial was to determine if a hand therapy intervention targeting the sensory system could prevent or delay the onset of any grade of hand CIPN more effectively than the traditional occupational therapy intervention. This study found no statistically significant differences in the time to onset of CIPN between the two differing types of intervention.
3 of 4 patients delayed onset of CIPNStill, 74% of those pancreatic cancer patients receiving the gemcitabine, paclitaxel and cisplatin combo did not develop CIPN of the hands, at least through the first 84 days of treatment.
“We conclude that early adaption of occupational therapy may prevent early onset CIPN in chemotherapy patients,” said Gayle Jameson, MSN, Nurse Practitioner, the study’s lead author and principal investigator who specializes in pancreatic cancer. “This suggests that the development of CIPN may not be of clinical consequence in the majority of patients in the neo-adjuvant setting where shorter courses of chemotherapy are often used.”
Hand therapy details
The evidence-based hand therapy intervention used in this study was extrapolated from research in hand surgery and is the basis of sensory rehabilitation for people with upper extremity injuries or problems.
The investigational intervention consisted of pain-free, pleasant active range of motion (AROM), nerve and tendon glides; manual therapy targeting areas of potential nerve entrapment or vulnerability; and sensory rehabilitation.
“In this small, 40-patient sample, we found no correlation between the risk of developing CIPN and age, sex, BMI, disease state, or performance status (a standard way of measuring the ability of cancer patients to perform ordinary tasks),” said Erkut Borazanci, M.D., Medical Director of the Research Institute’s Oncology Research Division and the study’s senior author. “It is encouraging to note that most patients did not develop neuropathy, which could be due to their general clinical care. That result I find encouraging.”
A larger study is suggested to validate these initial findings.
Other HonorHealth Research Institute authors of this study were: Dr. Daniel Von Hoff, Courtney Snyder, Sharon Buchanan, Terri Strelish, Tania Shearon, Lynne Hull and Lorilyn Kaatz.
The study — Hand therapy interventions for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy of the hands in patients with pancreatic cancer — was published online Oct. 22, 2024, in the Oxford Academic journal The Oncologist. It was funded by HonorHealth.
For more information about HonorHealth Research Institute cancer clinical trials, call: 480-323-1350.
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About the HonorHealth Research Institute
HonorHealth Research Institute is an international destination that is at the forefront of providing patients with a better quality of life through its clinical trials and innovative treatment options. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, the institute’s team of physicians and researchers collaborate with experts from across the nation to offer life-changing therapies, drugs and devices. At HonorHealth Research Institute, patients have access to tomorrow’s health innovations, today. Learn more at: HonorHealth.com/research.
To learn more about HonorHealth Research Institute, please visit our website: https://www.honorhealth.com/company/research-institute
Story by Steve Yozwiak
Senior Research Science Writer
HonorHealth Research Institute
602-620-4749
syozwiak@honorhealth.com