The impact of CIPN on patient outcomes and Osmol’s solution
CIPN is an off-target debilitating condition that often first presents as painful tingling, burning, and numbness in the hands and feet of patients. As CIPN progresses, fine motor skills such as tying a shoe or buttoning a shirt are impacted. Further progression can impact balance and the ability to walk. This condition is often both disabling and permanent.
CIPN occurs because the microtubule-based mechanism of taxanes and other cancer treatments that include vinca alkaloids and epothilones, can lead to peripheral nerve damage as a result of calcium dysregulation.
Taxanes cross the blood-brain barrier causing damage to the central nervous system (CNS) leading to cognitive impairment. CICI impacts attention, concentration, and executive function domains, as well as increases depression in taxane-treated breast cancer patients4 with 35% of patients experiencing symptoms that persist for years3,4 impacting quality of life.
Like CIPN, CICI can be disabling, particularly for activities where attention, concentration, and executive function domains are critical.
