Abstract PO3-12-10: Cryotherapy to Prevent Taxane-Induced Sensory Neuropathy of the Hands and Feet
Authors: Advani Pooja , Harvey Jinky , Vilches Ivy , Hochwald Alex , Hodge David , Arnold Amanda , Weidner Morgan , Haley Dana , Pai Tanmayi , Chumsri Saranya , Rao Rohit , Sideras Kostandinos , Tofthagen Cindy , Moreno-Aspitia Alvaro 
Published: May 2024

Background: Taxane based chemotherapy (chemo) forms a critical part of breast cancer (BC) treatment in early and metastatic settings. Taxanes can cause peripheral neuropathy (CIPN)-sensory and motor, primarily of the hands and feet, resulting in quality of life decline and negaive impact on BC survival. Acral cryotherapy has shown benefit in reducing in in minimizing the incidence and severity ofcidence and severity of CIPN. However, these studies have included limited number of patients (pts) with inconclusive evidence to change US practice guidelines, have been primarily conducted in Asia, and did not include racially diverse patients.

Methods: We conducted a single arm non randomized study at Mayo Clinic that included early BC pts who underwent standard of care paclitaxel or docetaxel based chemo. Pts had ECOG performance status 0-2, no sensory peripheral neuropathy at study entry and were able to give signed informed consent. Pts with metastatic BC, Raynaud's and peripheral vascular disease, cryoglobulinemia, cold intolerance, prior exposure to neurotoxic or taxane chemotherapy were excluded. Participating pts wore frozen gloves and socks (−20 to −10°C) on both hands and feet, 15 min before, during and until 15 min post taxane infusion. During chemo, grade (G) of CIPN (sensory) per CTCAE v5 was collected prior to each cycle of chemo, end of and 3 months after chemo. Schedule of events is listed in Table 1. Continuous variables were summarized using mean and standard deviation, and categorical variables were summarized with number and percentage of patients. Numeric variables were compared with t tests (paired and unpaired), and categorical variables were compared with Chi-Squared test for independent data and Mcnemar’s test for dependent data. All statistical tests were two-sided and were performed using R Statistical Software (version 4.1.2; R Foundation for Statistical Computing).

Results: A total of 95 patients were included in this study. Median age is 54 years, 66.3% pts were White (W), 23.2% African American (AA), 4.2% Asian (A) and 4.2% Hispanic (H). Median BMI was 27.7. Most pts had stage I/II (75.8%), ER positive (64.9%) and HER2 negative (55.3%) BC and got adjuvant chemo (52.6%). Only 10.6% pts had diabetes, 55.3% used alcohol. Vitamin D3 use seen in 65.6%, B12 in 6.2% and folate, B12 and D3 in 6.2% pts. A total of 41 pts (44.1%) developed neuropathy at some point during chemo, of which 27 pts were W (43%), 10 pts AA (45%), 2 pts H, 1 Asian and 1 other. CIPN was G1 in 37 pts (90%). G2 CIPN was seen in 4 pts, at or after cycle 10 of weekly paclitaxel. Cold intolerance was seen in 24 pts (25%), G1 in 20 and G2 in 4 pts, all seen in cycle 1 with 1 pt withdrawal. Recovery to G0 was seen in 15 W pts at chemo end and 2 additional pts at 3 month after chemo. None of the AA pts, one H and one A pt had CIPN recovery to G0. In 4 AA pts who had G1 CIPN during chemo, G2 CIPN was noted at 3 month follow up. No Statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics and neuropathy results for W vs nonwhites (NW) were seen except Charleson score (p-value 0.023).

Conclusion: Acral cryotherapy was found to be effective in reducing the incidence and severity of CIPN from taxane in our study. This is the only study with diverse racial/ethinic pt inclusion and incidence of CIPN was similar in W and NW. However, majority of G2 CIPN pts were AA and recovery to G0 CIPN was not seen in AA pts. Majority (63%) of W pts recovered to G0 at end of follow up. Analysis of objective testing of all pts is underway. Continued research into risk factors for AA pts to develop CIPN and its mitigation are warranted.

XX XX

Citation Format: Pooja Advani, Jinky Harvey, Ivy Vilches, Alex Hochwald, David Hodge, Amanda Arnold, Morgan Weidner, Dana Haley, Tanmayi Pai, Saranya Chumsri, Rohit Rao, Kostandinos Sideras, Cindy Tofthagen, Alvaro Moreno-Aspitia. Cryotherapy to Prevent Taxane-Induced Sensory Neuropathy of the Hands and Feet [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO3-12-10.