Quantitative sensory profiles of upper extremity chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy: Are there differences in sensory profiles for neuropathic versus nociceptive pain?

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographics.

Participant demographics
Age, mean (SD)	61.5 (23.33)
Stage, n (%)
I	17 (35.40)
II	22 (45.80)
III	9 (18.80)
Cancer side, n (%)
Right	19 (39.60)
Left	28 (58.30)
Bilateral	1 (2.10)
Surgery, n (%)
Lumpectomy	27 (56.20)
Single mastectomy	15 (31.30)
Bilateral mastectomy	6 (12.50)
Reconstruction	10 (20.80)
Radiation, n (%)	37 (77.10)
Docetaxel, n (%)
FECD (six rounds, three include taxane)	30 (62.50)
TC (four rounds, all include taxane)	18 (37.50)
Loss of range of motion–shoulder, n (%)	13 (27.10)
History of upper extremity nerve problems, n (%)	13 (27.10)

FECD = 5-fluorouracil, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide ×3, followed by docetaxel 100 mg/m² ×3; TC = docetaxel 75 mg/m² and cyclophosphamide ×4.

Table 2. Neuropathic and nonneuropathic symptom profiles.

	Neuropathic	Nonneuropathic	P value
Warm detection mean (SD)
Left	35.7 (2.38)	35.3 (2.22)	0.27
Right	36.3 (1.60)	35.9 (1.90)	0.65
Cool detection mean (SD)
Left	29.8 (1.69)	30.0 (1.67)	0.35
Right	29.3 (1.94)	29.3 (2.86)	0.35
Hot pain thresholds mean (SD)
Left	42.3 (3.33)	43.7 (3.51)	0.17
Right	42.5 (2.93)	44.1 (3.11)	0.05*
Cold pain thresholds mean (SD)
Left	16.8 (9.19)	14.2 (8.97)	0.41
Right	16.5 (8.79)	13.9 (9.00)	0.46
Vibration median (Q1–Q3)
Left	0.14 (0.04–0.24)	0.14 (0.04–0.34)	0.38
Right	0.23 (0.13–0.49)	0.23 (0.13–0.41)	0.76
Pressure mean (SD)	752 (315)	843 (348)	0.52
NPRS, n (%)
No pain	7 (17.1)	107 (71.3)
Pain 1+	34 (82.9)	43 (28.7)	0.001*
DASH, median (Q1–Q3)	51 (41–67)	35 (31–46)	0.002*
Number of visits with neuropathic pain, median (interquartile rage)
2+	13.5 (10.5–18.0)		0.001*
1	3.5 (0–11.3)		0.001*
0	0 (0–0)

Q1–Q3 = interquartile range representing the 25-75 percentile; NPRS = Numeric Pain Rating Scale; DASH = Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand.

* statistically significant.

Figure 1. Distribution of S-LANSS scores over time. This graph represents each participant’s S-LANSS score over time. Participants with no neuropathic pain are shown in black. Participants indicating neuropathic pain on one visit only are in red. When neuropathic symptoms are transient, symptoms are more likely to be present during chemotherapy and decrease over time. Participants who reported neuropathic pain on multiple visits are shown in blue. Participants reporting neuropathic pain symptoms on multiple visits were likely to have persistent symptoms at the end of the trial.