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Peripheral neuropathy is the name for damage to the peripheral nervous system that sends signals between the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) and all other parts of the body.
There are three main types of peripheral nerves:
Peripheral neuropathy can feel like:
Some of the most common causes of peripheral neuropathy are medicines used to treat cancer. When this happens, it is called chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). The risk of CIPN depends on the type of chemotherapy and dose given, and increases with each cycle of chemotherapy. CIPN can make it hard to get around and do things you used to do.
Peripheral neuropathy can cause severe pain and can affect things like the way you walk, write, button your shirt, or pick up coins. Peripheral neuropathy can last for weeks, months, or even years after treatment is done. If it gets worse, it can also cause changes in your heart rate and blood pressure, falls, trouble breathing, and not being able to move on your own. It’s important to let your cancer care team know if your symptoms get worse.
Peripheral neuropathy also can be caused by things other than chemotherapy, such as:
It’s important to know what’s causing peripheral neuropathy so that the right treatment can be given. The information on this page is about peripheral neuropathy (PN) as a side effect of chemotherapy.
Certain cancer medicines are more likely to cause CIPN. Some of the more common ones include:
If you’re not sure if a cancer treatment you’re getting might cause CIPN, ask your cancer care team.
During treatment, your cancer care team will ask you about your symptoms and watch you to see if the PN is getting worse. Your team may need to delay your treatment, use smaller doses of the chemo drugs, or stop treatment with the drug that is causing the PN until your symptoms get better. These actions must be started right away to prevent long-term damage that might get worse over time.
There are some therapies that have been used to prevent peripheral neuropathy, but further research is needed to prove that such therapies are effective. Talk to your cancer care team about options that might be helpful for you.
There is no sure way to prevent peripheral neuropathy but things can be done to manage your symptoms. Treatment can often help ease symptoms of PN. Sometimes these symptoms go away shortly after treatment is done, but sometimes they last much longer. Severe PN may lessen over time but may not go away completely.
Treatment focuses on relieving the discomfort that can come with PN. Some of the medicines used include:
Sometimes more than one type of treatment is needed. Tell your cancer care team if medicine used to treat PN is not working so that something else can be tried. Other non-medical treatments can be tried to ease nerve pain and its effect on you.
There are some things you can do to better manage the symptoms of PN, such as:
If you have peripheral neuropathy, the loss of sensation or balance might put you at a higher risk of injury. Here are some things you can do to stay safe:
Here are some questions you might want to ask your cancer care team:
It’s important to work closely with your cancer care team to manage peripheral neuropathy.
Talk to your cancer care team:
Remember that only you decide if you want to get, or keep getting, a certain treatment.
The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team
Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as editors and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.
ACSO. Nerve problems or peripheral neuropathy. Cancer.net. Updated June 2023. Accessed November 17, 2023 at https://www.cancer.net/coping-with-cancer/physical-emotional-and-social-effects-cancer/managing-physical-side-effects/nerve-problems-or-peripheral-neuropathy.
Desforges AD, Hebert CM, Spence AL, Reid B, Dhaibar HA, Cruz-Topete D, Cornett EM, Kaye AD, Urits I, Viswanath O. Treatment and diagnosis of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: an update. Biomed & Pharmacother. 2022;147:112671. Accessed November 17, 2023 at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2022.112671
Kanda K, Ishida K, Kyota A, Ishihara C, Fujimoto K, Hosokawa M, Mochizuki R. Randomized clinical trial quantifying the effectiveness of a self-monitoring intervention in cancer patients with peripheral neuropathy: A quantitative study. Asia Pac J Oncol Nurs. 2023;10(4):100198. Accessed November 17, 2023 at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apjon.2023.100198
Li T, Park SB, Battaglini E, King MT, Kiernan MC, Goldstein D, Rutherford C. Assessing chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy with patient reported outcome measures: a systematic review of measurement properties and considerations for future use. Qual Life Res. 2022;31(11):3091-107. Accessed November 17, 2023 at https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-022-03154-7
National Cancer Care Center Network (NCCN). Adult Cancer Pain. Version 2.2023. Accessed November 16, 2023 at https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/pain.pdf.
Last Revised: March 29, 2024
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