Need for increased awareness
Commenting on the study, Ting Bao, MD, co-director of the Leonard P. Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies & Healthy Living at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, said that the findings underscore that “there is a need for increased awareness of the diverse manifestations of chemotherapy-induced neuropathy.”
These include the fact that “neurotoxic chemotherapy impacts both the peripheral and central nervous systems, affecting balance through distinct mechanisms.”
Although treatments routinely recommended for CIPN include duloxetine, tricyclic antidepressants, or gabapentin as well as topical agents such as lidocaine, evidence also shows benefits of nonpharmacologic approaches including exercise, acupuncture, and yoga. Dr. Bao’s own research has suggested that those benefits can extend improved balance and reduced fall risk.
Dr. Bao and colleagues recently conducted a randomized study that included 41 patients with CIPN to receive either yoga or usual care.
“The findings revealed that after eight biweekly sessions of yoga, there was a notable improvement in the far-reach test, which is a predictor of fall risk,” she said.
To validate these findings, the researchers are currently conducting a larger randomized controlled trial, she said.
In the meantime, “further research into the mechanisms and effective treatments for chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicity is essential,” added Dr. Bao.
Dr. McNeish and Dr. Bao report no relevant disclosures.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.