Association of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy with Diet Quality Among Post-Treatment Cancer Survivors

Abstract

Nutrition is essential for peripheral nerve function, yet dietary factors associated with chronic chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) remain poorly characterized. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine differences in diet quality and macronutrients for cancer survivors with and without CIPN. Cancer survivors (e.g., ≥3 months post platinum and/or taxane-based neurotoxic chemotherapy) with (i.e., ≥1/4 PRO-CTACE™ Numbness and Tingling Severity) and without CIPN completed the VioScreen Research Graphical Food Frequency Questionnaire. The association among diet (Healthy Eating Index [HEI]), macronutrient intake (average percent caloric intake), and CIPN severity were analyzed using generalized linear regression models, adjusting for caloric intake, body mass index, age, and sex. Results revealed that for each one-point increase in diet quality, PRO-CTCAE severity decreased by −0.06 (95% CI: −0.10, −0.02, P < 0.01). Participants without CIPN reported higher diet quality than those with CIPN (HEI mean: 70.11 vs 68.45) (OR = 0.94, P = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.89, 0.99). Participants with CIPN had significantly higher carbohydrate consumption than participants without CIPN (OR = 1.11, P = 0.04, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.22). There were no significant differences in consumption of proteins or fats between groups. Further research should be pursued to discover the potential benefits of dietary interventions for CIPN management among cancers survivors.

Author Contributions

RK: conceptualization, methodology, investigation, writing – original draft, project administration. RPS: formal analysis, conceptualization, writing – review & editing. SZ and CT: writing – review & editing, supervision, conceptualization. LS: investigation, writing – review & editing.

Disclosure Statement

RK has received personal fees (consulting) from Fors Marsh Group, Osmol Therapeutics, Inc., and the Comprehensive and Integrative Medicine Institute. No other authors have any disclosures to report.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, RK, upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Cancer Institutes of Health under Award Number P30CA046592. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.