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Conservative non-pharmacological treatments for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathies in women treated for breast cancer: a systematic review.

European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicine
June 1, 2024
Gianpaolo Ronconi et al. (10 authors)
Journal ArticleSystematic ReviewHuman Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to review non-pharmacological interventions, including cryotherapy, for managing chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) in breast cancer patients.

Results Summary

The abstract mentions cryotherapy as one of the investigated interventions but does not provide specific results for it, indicating mixed or inconclusive evidence for non-pharmacological approaches overall.

Population

Breast cancer survivors experiencing CIPN (1528 out of 1895 total patients).

Effective Dosage

Not available

Duration

Not specified

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (6)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
acupuncture
neutral
peripheral neuropathies
patients affected by CIPN secondary to breast cancer care
-
focused on
#1
physiotherapy
neutral
peripheral neuropathies
patients affected by CIPN secondary to breast cancer care
-
focused on
#2
cryotherapy
neutral
peripheral neuropathies
patients affected by CIPN secondary to breast cancer care
-
focused on
#3
yoga
neutral
peripheral neuropathies
patients affected by CIPN secondary to breast cancer care
-
focused on
#4
moderate exercise
increase
global physical and psychological health
cancer patients
positive effect
should be encouraged
#5
stress reducing activities like sport, yoga and mindfulness
increase
global physical and psychological health
cancer patients
positive effect
should be encouraged
#6
Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Over the last few decades, the use of neo/adjuvant therapies has significantly increased the number of breast cancer survivors who experience chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). To date, few, low-efficacy, pharmacological remedies exist to manage this side effect. For this reason, alternative treatments are increasingly being investigated as possible strategies to prevent or promote faster recovery from CIPN. In this review we aimed to provide an overview of the literature evidence regarding all the non-pharmacological and rehabilitative interventions for patients affected by CIPN secondary to breast cancer care. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A comprehensive literature search was conducted on PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science and included a total of 1895 patients (1528 with breast cancer) with a wide range of CIPN (motor, sensory and autonomic neuropathies) and chemotherapy treatments (e.g., Taxanes, Platins, Vinca alkaloids or monoclonal antibody drugs). EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Of the initial 1108 hits, only 25 studies - describing different treatment modalities for peripheral neuropathies - were finally included in the qualitative synthesis. Most studies focused on acupuncture, physiotherapy, cryotherapy, and yoga. CONCLUSIONS: There is still controversial evidence on conservative non-pharmacological interventions for the management of CIPN symptoms. We believe however that moderate exercise, as well as all types of stress reducing activities like sport, yoga and mindfulness, should be encouraged in cancer patients for their positive effect on global physical and psychological health. Further studies of higher methodological quality are needed to determine the best conservative approach to CIPN.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
HumansPeripheral Nervous System DiseasesBreast NeoplasmsFemaleAntineoplastic AgentsConservative TreatmentPhysical Therapy ModalitiesYogaCryotherapy
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy50/10
Quality70/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations6
Citations/Year6.0
Relative Citation Ratio2.25
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.50
Weight Score2.68
Normalized Score0.54
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