The Effect of Exogenous Nerve Growth Factor “Cerebrolysin” on the Incidence and Severity of Paclitaxel- Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Cancer Patients

Abstract

Peripheral neuropathy is a broad term that refers to a set of symptoms caused by damage to the nerves that are further away from the brain and spinal cord causing peripheral nerve damage. Some of the chemotherapeutic medications used to treat cancer damage peripheral nerves resulting in Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN). Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy is a toxic neuropathy; a syndrome consisting of symptoms including: numbness of extremities, burning and tingling neuropathic pain, long term touch, heat and cold dysaesthesia and in more severe cases, motor impairment affecting daily functioning. Severity of neurotoxicity may range from loss of sensory function and mild paresthesias to neuropathic pain, severe ataxia and weakness leading to pronounced disability. If not well controlled, CIPN can be a significant disability following the treatment of many types of cancer including breast cancer.