The Functional Implications of Taxane-induced Neuropathy
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: Taxol (paclitaxel) and Taxotere (docetaxel) are effective chemotherapy drugs used in the treatment of breast cancer. These drugs kill cancer cells reducing the size of the tumor and preventing the spread of the disease to distant sites. Because the drugs are administered to the whole body, they unfortunately also affect non-cancerous cells. Nerve cells to the hands and feet are particularly susceptible to the effects of these drugs. As a result, many patients develop pain, decreased reflexes, and abnormal sensations of the hands and feet when taking Taxol or Taxotere. Patients with similar nerve problems due to other causes, such as diabetes, have been shown to have problems with pain, balance, arm function, physical performance, and decreased quality of life. However, it is unknown at this time if Taxol or Taxotere-induced changes to nerve cells has a similar impact in breast cancer patients.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Three questions will be answered during this study:
 
 
 
 -Do women taking Taxol or Taxotere have increased problems with nerve function, balance, pain, arm function, physical performance and quality of life compared to healthy women of the same age and body type?
 
 -What is the best clinical test to identify the severity of changes to nerve function in women taking Taxol or Taxotere as part of their treatment for breast cancer?
 
 
 
 Are the severity of nerve changes, as measured by the best clinical test identified in question 2, related to problems with balance, pain, arm function, physical performance, and quality of life?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 There will be two groups of women who participate in this study. The first group will include women who have completed their Taxol or Taxotere therapy for breast cancer. The second group will include healthy women of the same age and body type compared to the chemotherapy group. Six variables will be measured in this study: nerve function, balance, arm function, physical performance, pain, and quality of life. A clinical exam and nerve conduction studies (chemotherapy group only) will be used to quantify nerve function. The other variables will be measured through performance of balance tasks with eyes open and closed, moving your arm to and from a target with your eyes closed, timed short distance walking, and questionnaires. These tests will be performed in two two-hour sessions at the Mount Zion and Parnassus campuses of UCSF.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 This study is unique because no one has investigated the impact Taxol and Taxotere have on the physical well-being and quality of life of women being treated for breast cancer. In addition to describing the problem, we will also identify the best clinical method to measure changes in nerve function due to Taxol and Taxotere therapy. This study will lay the foundation for future studies focused on the development of treatments for balance, pain, and arm function problems before they can have a detrimental impact on physical performance and quality of life. This will be a significant advancement in the quality of life for breast cancer patients during and after treatment.