Diagnosing neuropathy symptoms in cancer patients not exact science

It could diminish the quality of life.

Most of the cancer survivors in the U.S. who underwent chemotherapy tend to develop some degree of chemotherapy-induced nerve damage known as peripheral neuropathy.

Unfortunately, neuropathy often goes underreported and untreated. This happens because clinicians and researchers don’t have a valid, standardized way to measure symptoms or the effectiveness of neuropathy treatments. Right now, the drug Cymbalta (duloxetine) is the only drug FDA-approved to treat painful neuropathy symptoms.

Ellen Lavoie Smith, associate professor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing, said, “If we don’t have a reliable measurement tool, we can’t know if the interventions are effective or not. Historically, it’s possible that we’ve discounted treatments and said they are ineffective based on poor measurements.”

Scientists actually wanted to find a better way to quantify neuropathy symptoms and treatment efficacy. They want to use a measurement tool in research and clinical settings that has been thoroughly tested and found to be reliable and valid. We believe we have that now.

The neuropathy estimation instrument Smith inspected in her examination is a survey created in Europe and possessed by a worldwide research arrange. It’s a patient-revealed result measure called the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Scale (QLQ-CIPN20).37.

Discoveries propose that with minor corrections, it could be all around embraced in the two labs and specialists’ workplaces to enable analysts and clinicians to measure and treat this excruciating condition.

Six past distributions give proof supporting the apparatus’ adequacy. Be that as it may, two examinations give clashing proof about the instrument’s legitimacy, and another investigation proposes that minor amendments could enhance that.

A few analysts utilize the poll now, yet for an assortment of reasons, it’s not utilized as a part of the facility with cancer patients.

Smith said, “The next step is for researchers worldwide to consider using the same tool because then the results from one researcher can be compared directly with results from the next.”

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