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The relationship between numbness, tingling, and shooting/burning pain in patients with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) as measured by the EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 instrument, N06CA

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Abstract

Background

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is characterized by numbness, tingling, and shooting/burning pain. This analysis was performed to describe the relationship between numbness, tingling, and shooting/burning pain in patients with CIPN, as reported using the EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 (CIPN20).

Methods

Baseline CIPN20 data were provided for all patients on a prospective trial designed to treat patients with bothersome CIPN. Baseline frequencies for the items on the CIPN20 are primarily described by descriptive statistics and histograms, with correlational analyses between individual items.

Results

A majority of the 199 patients accrued to this study reported “quite a bit” to “very much” numbness (57%) or tingling (63%) in the hands compared to “a little” or “not at all” (numbness (43%), tingling (38%)). Fewer patients reported “quite a bit” to “very much” shooting/burning pain in the hands (18%). Numbness and tingling in the hands were highly correlated (r = 0.69), while neither were highly correlated with shooting/burning pain. Similar results were observed in the feet. More severe ratings for tingling and shooting/burning pain were ascribed to the lower extremities, as opposed to the upper extremities.

Conclusions

In patients with CIPN, severe sensory neuropathy symptoms (numbness, tingling) commonly exist without severe neuropathic pain symptoms (shooting/burning pain), while the reverse is not common. Symptoms in the feet should be evaluated distinctly from those in the hands as the experience of symptoms is not identical, for individual patients, in upper versus lower extremities.

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Acknowledgment

This study was conducted as a collaborative trial of the North Central Cancer Treatment Group and Mayo Clinic and was supported in part by Public Health Service grants CA-25224, CA-37404, CA-63848, CA-35195, CA-37417, CA-35448, CA-35267, CA-63849, CA-35113, CA-35103, CA-35415, CA-35431, CA-45377, and CA-67575. This work was also supported by the NIH Mentorship Grant CA-124477. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the views of the National Cancer Institute or the National Institute of Health.

Conflict of interest disclosure

Neil K. Aaronson, who developed the EORCT QLQ-CIPN20 instrument, works with EORTC. The other authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Correspondence to Charles L. Loprinzi.

Additional information

Additional participating institutions include: Cedar Rapids Oncology Program CCOP, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403 (Martin Wiesenfeld, MD); Geisinger Clinic & Medical Center CCOP, Danville, PA 17822 (Albert M. Bernath, Jr., M.D.); Rapid City Regional Hospital, Inc, Rapid City, SD 57701 (Richard C, Tenglin, M.D.); Sioux Community Cancer Consortium, Sioux Falls, SD 57105 (Loren K. Tschetter, M.D.); Toledo Community Hospital Oncology Program (Rex Mowat, M.D.); Metro-Minnesota Community Clinical Oncology Program, St. Louis Park, MN 55416 (Patrick J. Flynn, M.D.); Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, AZ 85259-5404 (Tom R. Fitch, M.D.); Hematology/Oncology Centers of the Northern Rockies, Billings, MT 59101 (Benjamin Marchello, M.D.); Carle Cancer Center, Urbana, IL 61801 (Kendrith M. Rowland, Jr, M.D.); Spartanburg Regional Medical Center, Spartanburg, SC 29303 (James D. Bearden, III, M.D.); Columbia River Oncology Program, Portland, OR 97225 (Janet C. Ruzich, M.D.); and Illinois Oncology Research Assn. CCOP, Peoria, IL 61615–7828 (John W. Kugler, M.D.).

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Wolf, S.L., Barton, D.L., Qin, R. et al. The relationship between numbness, tingling, and shooting/burning pain in patients with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) as measured by the EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 instrument, N06CA. Support Care Cancer 20, 625–632 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-011-1141-9

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