N-Check: nerve check to document chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) in incurable cancer

Chemotherapy-induced polyneuropathy (CIPN) encompasses a spectrum of symptoms ranging from hypoesthesia with impaired gait, stance and fine motor skills to painful dysesthesia and allodynia and significantly impairs the quality of life of those affected. In the present pilot study, quantitative sensory testing (QST) was used to investigate CIPN as a common adverse effect of cytostatic drugs in patients with incurable cancer. The QST is a standardized examination procedure that is not yet routinely used in cancer patients. It is used to examine thermal and mechanical perception and pain thresholds to record the subjectively experienced pain phenotype. In the N-Check pilot project, the QST was used before and after tumor-specific, potentially CIPN-inducing treatment and the data collected was compared in a pre-post analysis. In addition, the specific effects of CIPN on the health-related quality of life of patients treated primarily with a palliative intention were recorded using the Functional Assessment for Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) questionnaire. Overall, the patients showed significant heat hypoalgesia after chemotherapy as a sign of damage to small nerve fibers. In addition, there were signs of deterioration of the quality of life. The feasibility of QST in patients with incurable cancer and palliative, neurotoxic chemotherapy was demonstrated in this pilot study.