What is chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy?
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy results from neurotoxic chemotherapy drugs damaging nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord (the “peripheral” nerves). These nerves control movement and sensation in your hands, arms, feet, and legs. This nerve damage cannot be reversed and ranges from tingling and warm feelings in mild cases, to pain, weakness, inability to feel the ground, and numbness in more severe cases.
How many cancer patients get it?
Overall, 30-40% of all chemotherapy patients will develop chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, with certain drugs being more prone to cause it. For example, taxanes, used for breast, ovarian, and lung cancers, can cause neuropathy in up to 64% of patients; Oxaliplatin, used for bladder and colorectal cancers, can cause neuropathy in up to 98% of patients.
Is there any research to prevent it?
Considerable research reveals that cooling the hands and feet during chemotherapy prevents peripheral neuropathy. Cooling constricts blood vessels, which slows the penetration of the toxic chemotherapy drug to the peripheral nerves in the hands and feet. Additional data indicates that adding compression to the cooling is even more effective because it also constricts the blood vessels.
What is Eisana doing to prevent it?
Eisana is developing a patent pending, cryo-compression device for hands and feet to wear before, during, and after infusion to prevent chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.