Prevention and Management of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Survivors of Adult Cancers

Published online before print July 14, 2020, DOI: 10.1200/JCO.20.01399

Charles L. Loprinzi, MD; Christina Lacchetti, MHSc; Jonathan Bleeker, MD; Guido Cavaletti, MD, PhD; Cynthia Chauhan, MSW; Daniel L. Hertz, PharmD, PhD; Mark R. Kelley, PhD; Antoinette Lavino, BS Pharm, RPh; Maryam B. Lustberg, MD; Judith A. Paice, PhD, RN; Bryan P. Schneider, MD; Ellen M. Lavoie Smith, RN, PhD; Mary Lou Smith, JD, MBA; Thomas J. Smith, MD; Nina Wagner-Johnston, MD: and Dawn L. Hershman, MD

Purpose

To update the ASCO guideline on the recommended prevention and treatment approaches in the management of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) in adult cancer survivors.

Methods 

An Expert Panel conducted targeted systematic literature reviews to identify new studies. 

Results

The search strategy identified 257 new references, which led to a full-text review of 87 manuscripts. A total of 3 systematic reviews, 2 with meta-analyses, and 28 primary trials for prevention of CIPN in addition to 14 primary trials related to treatment of established CIPN, are included in this update.

Recommendations 

The identified data reconfirmed that no agents are recommended for the prevention of CIPN. The use of acetyl-L-carnitine for the prevention of CIPN in patients with cancer should be discouraged.  Furthermore, clinicians should assess the appropriateness of dose delaying, dose reduction, substitutions, or stopping chemotherapy in patients who develop intolerable neuropathy and/or functional impairment.  Duloxetine is the only agent that has appropriate evidence to support its use for patients with established painful CIPN. Nonetheless, the amount of benefit from duloxetine is limited.

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