Poster Presentation Cancer Survivorship Conference 2023

Improving Screening for Peripheral Neuropathy during Cancer Treatment (#151)

Susanna Park 1 , Peter Grimison 2 , Victoria Choi 2 , Janan Sinan 3 , Jed Young 4 , Katelin Mayer 4 , David Mizrahi 5 , David Goldstein 3
  1. University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
  2. Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  3. Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW
  4. Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  5. Daffodil Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Background: Chemotherapy-induced nerve damage or peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a major side-effect of the treatment of cancer, leading to early treatment cessation and long-lasting disability. However, while we understand the detrimental long-term effect of CIPN on cancer survivors, we still lack the ability to identify early toxicity signs. This project will determine the feasibility and barriers of enhanced CIPN clinical screening via a pilot study of 3 short screening questionnaires delivered by oncology and haematology nursing staff at routine clinical visits during neurotoxic chemotherapy.

Methods: Online and paper-based surveys incorporating three brief PROM screening tools (Patient Neurotoxicity Questionnaire, PRO-CTCAE and the Cancer Institute NSW EviQ online neurotoxicity instrument) and a short feasibility questionnaire were deployed (termed CIPN-Screen) in a prospective sample of patients across two clinical sites. Patients were eligible to complete CIPN-Screen at any chemotherapy cycle regardless of the presence of neuropathy symptoms.

Results: Preliminary results from 85 respondents indicate that 36 patients (42%) reported no symptoms, 27 (32%) reported mild symptoms and 22 (26%) reported moderate or severe symptoms using the PRO-CTCAE scale. In line with this low neuropathy burden, the majority of patients reported no impact of CIPN on daily activities using the PRO-CTCAE scale (67%, n=57). Of symptomatic patients, some patients reported functional limitations on the PNQ scale including difficulties with buttoning (24%, n=12), problems sleeping (37%, n=18) and problems with walking (14%, n=7). In terms of feasibility, the majority of respondents reported that CIPN-Screen was easy to complete (95%, n=78) and easy to understand (93%, n=76). Most (85%, n=70) reported that the CIPN-Screen was helpful in assisting to describe symptoms. The majority of patients completed CIPN-Screen in 2-5 minutes (79%, n=67).

Conclusion: Enhanced CIPN screening may be feasible from a patient perspective and assist in symptom profiling for patients treated with neurotoxic chemotherapy.