Investigating the Temporal Relationship: Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Children and Adolescents with Cancer
Jenny Belsky, DO
Principal Investigator
Brief Description
Cancer treatment can sometimes lead to the development of a condition called peripheral neuropathy. This is when your arms, hands, legs, and feet may tingle, like they are asleep, or cause pain. We want to look at characteristics that might predict who will develop this condition. Only eligible patients that have been referred by a physician or self-referred to and seen by section of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology staff will be invited to participate in the clinical trial. Potential subjects will be contacted in the hospital or at a clinic visit in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.
Detailed Description
Study participation involves a baseline blood sample, day 1 of each new chemotherapy cycle, end of therapy, and then every 3 months post-therapy until no neuropathy symptoms.
• History and physical examination
• Blood draw through your already existing port of about 2 teaspoons of blood, no additional port accesses are needed. Labs will be drawn with routine medical labs.
• A trained research nurse will do a 5-minute focused, physical exam to see how the nerves are working.
Eligibility of study
Inclusion Criteria
1. ≥ 2 to 2. Ability to provide written informed consent/assent and HIPAA authorization
3. An oncology diagnosis of any malignancy requiring neurotoxic chemotherapy
4. Plan to receive the entirety of their care at Riley Hospital for Children
Exclusion Criteria
• Patients with relapsed or secondary cancers will be excluded from the study due to confounding baseline variables
• Patients with pre-existing neurologic conditions, mass compressing the median motor, median sensory, peroneal motor, or sural nerves will be excluded due to confounding baseline variables