Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a prevalent and often debilitating side effect faced by many patients undergoing chemotherapy, significantly impacting their quality of life and functional status. A nested qualitative study revealed patients experienced loss of confidence in walking, difficulties in daily activities including self-care, ability to perform functional roles and socializing. In total, the quality of life was adversely influenced by CIPN in approximately half (49%) of patients.

CIPN interferes with optimal treatment of active disease resulting in the need for dose reductions, treatment delays and even premature cessation of chemotherapy, and can lead to long-term debilitating effects that can cause increased morbidity and decreased quality of life. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy most commonly presents as a pure sensory neuropathy with symmetric symptoms typically including numbness, loss of proprioception sense, tingling, pins and needles sensation, hyperalgesia or allodynia in the hands or feet in a stocking-glove distribution.

The health consequences of CIPN remain worrying as it is associated with several comorbidities and affects a specific population of patients already impacted by cancer, a strong driver for declines in older adults. These long-term effects are associated with comorbidities such as depression, insomnia, falls and decreases of health-related quality of life in cancer patients and survivors. CIPNs are frequent in cancer patients with an overall incidence of approximately 38% (possibly up to 90% of patients treated with oxaliplatin).

Peripheral neuropathy is a frequently occurring side-effect of chemotherapy as a cancer treatment. The diagnosis 'CIPN' is made principally on clinical grounds, and it is characterized by predominantly sensory symptoms. CIPN impairs quality of life. It is important to evaluate the symptoms of CIPN, as well as the impact on daily living.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common dose-limiting side effect experienced by patients undergoing cancer treatment. CIPN disrupts daily activities and function, decreases life quality, and impacts the overall well-being of cancer patients, negatively. Approximately 30 to 40% of patients undergoing neurotoxic chemotherapy develop CIPN, with 37–84% experiencing CIPN three months after treatment termination, highlighting the significant impact of long-lasting neuropathy.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common side effect of several common anti-cancer drugs. The constellation of these symptoms (pain, numbness, paresthesia, loss of sensation, instability, and gait disturbance) interferes with daily activities and impairs quality of life (QoL). Most of the symptoms persist, are non-responsive to medication and in many cases are irreversible.

Symptoms of CIPN can negatively affect sleep, mood, mobility, activities of daily living, and lead to distress, anxiety, depression, financial toxicity, difficulty feeding, constipation and diarrhea, which further compromise cancer treatment outcomes and quality of life. CIPN, in particular, is highly prevalent and clinically problematic, occurring in up to 60–80% of people receiving chemotherapy as a consequence of neurotoxic damage to the structure and function of peripheral sensory, motor, and autonomic nerves causing peripheral neuropathic symptoms.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) occurs in as many as 70% of patients treated with taxanes, vinca alkaloids, or platinum agents. In a poorly defined subset of these patients, CIPN persists even after the completion of chemotherapy, causing impaired sensory and motor function. Sensory symptoms include tingling, numbness, increased sensitivity to heat and cold, and pain in the hands and feet, while motor dysfunction includes muscle weakness and impaired balance.

Clinical observation indicates that lung cancer patients treated with platinum-based regimens report CIPN-related symptoms that affect daily function and quality of life. CIPN refers to motor, sensory, and autonomic neuron dysfunction, presenting as peripheral neuropathic signs and symptoms, including sensory damage like paresthesia, numbness, tingling, burning, and shooting pain, and motor damage manifested as weakness, gait and balance disturbance, and difficulty with fine motor skills.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a major side effect associated with chemotherapy that can lead to detrimental dose reductions and discontinuation of treatment because of its significant effect, which impairs the quality of life among cancer survivors. A study found that 72.9% of participants reported CIPN symptoms at the end of chemotherapy, with 31.1% still reporting symptoms two months after completion, and numbness in both hands and legs was the most common symptom.

Following completion of their chemotherapy regimen, many women who have survived cancer experience lingering symptoms of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), according to a new study. These symptoms were associated with worsened functioning and higher fall risk. Nearly half of the women (238, or 47%) reported persistent symptoms of neuropathy, even though the mean follow-up was 6 years after treatment. These women reported worse functioning and more disability, which was confirmed in clinical assessments, such as a timed chair stand, a physical function battery, and gait measurements.

A systematic review analysing the relationship between CIPN and QoL found that ten out of eleven studies identified an association, with eight demonstrating a statistically significant correlation. Higher CIPN symptoms were correlated with lower QoL scores. These symptoms may limit an individual's ability to engage in physical activities and impact their HRQoL.

Women with persistent CIPN symptoms performed worse on several objective tests of physical function and reported poorer functioning, more disability, and nearly twice the rate of falls compared with asymptomatic women. CIPN is consistently associated with lower self-report physical function and quality of life during or after chemotherapy. Neuropathies develop from nerve damage caused by cytotoxic chemotherapies and result in motor and sensory impairments and symptoms of sensory loss in hands and feet, burning, tingling, and pain.

“Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy dramatically effects quality of life for many of our patients,” said Greenlee. “For some people, peripheral neuropathy or the risk of CIPN alters the course of their cancer treatment. Many cancer chemotherapy drugs are life savers, but they can come with side effects of damage to nerves, especially to axons — the long, thready structures that extend through our hands and feet. The main complaints are numbness, tingling and pain, and some patients also have heat and cold sensitivity.”

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) affects nearly 70% of patients receiving certain drugs, creating a ripple effect that extends far beyond the infusion chair. Nerve damage manifests as tingling, burning, and numbness—sensations that transform routine tasks into formidable challenges. Hands that once tied shoelaces now fumble with buttons, while feet that easily navigated uneven sidewalks suddenly betray their owners with stumbles and falls. These are quality-of-life issues that can persist long after cancer retreats.

Peripheral neuropathy caused by chemotherapy usually affects the hands, feet and lower legs. In some people, it can cause pain, affect their balance, and affect how well they can use their fingers to do tasks, such as picking up small objects or typing on a keyboard. For some people, nerve damage will be permanent, though many find ways of coping with the changes.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) can cause nerve injury in the hands, feet, arms, or legs, leading to pain, numbness, and altered perception of nerve signals. While some patients experience temporary symptoms that resolve after treatment, many report lingering neuropathy, sometimes years later, significantly affecting their quality of life.

Chemotherapy drugs can damage the peripheral nerves, particularly those controlling sensations or movements in the arms, legs, hands, and feet, leading to symptoms like tingling, numbness, burning pain, muscle weakness, and loss of coordination and balance. These symptoms, often referred to as “chemo hands” or “chemo feet,” typically start in the fingers and toes and can greatly affect quality of life, making daily activities such as holding a fork, typing, or walking difficult, and in rare cases, persisting long-term.

Tingling (“pins and needles”) or numbness in the hands or feet, known as peripheral neuropathy, is a common side effect of some chemotherapy drugs. This condition can be painful, annoying, and frustrating, potentially lasting for months after treatment or becoming permanent, and making it difficult for individuals to return to hobbies and other daily activities.

Peripheral neuropathy, a nerve condition caused by cancer treatment, most often affects the hands or feet with feelings of numbness, pain, burning, loss of sensation, or tingling. Symptoms can range from mild to severe, appear during or after treatment, and can be temporary or permanent, lasting for months or years, significantly affecting quality of life and potentially disrupting sleep.

CIPN symptoms vary from patient to patient, but in general, side effects include: Numbness/tingling in the hands/feet that can be uncomfortable, painful, and often disturbs the patient's sleep and quality of life. Loss of sensation in the hands/feet, leading to an increased risk of falling. Pain and/or weakness in extremities. Difficulty picking up an object or buttoning clothing. Loss of balance, often causing difficulty with walking. These symptoms may subside within weeks or months, but in other cases symptoms may be long-term or permanent in which quality of life is affected.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a nerve-damaging side effect of antineoplastic agents, afflicting between 30% and 40% of patients undergoing chemotherapy. CIPN symptoms manifest as deficits in sensory, motor, and/or autonomic functions, significantly reducing a patient's functional quality of life, with sensory symptoms affecting the hands and feet generally developing first. These symptoms, such as tingling, pain, and numbness in the hands and feet, can impair activities of daily living like typing or dressing, reduce balance, and increase the risk of falls.