- 1
- Hôpital St. Louis, APHP, Department of Oncology, 1 Avenue Claude Vellefaux, 75010 Paris, France. Electronic address: cloebrami@gmail.com.
- 2
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Integrative Medicine and Breast Oncology Services, 1429 First Avenue, New York, NY 10021, United States. Electronic address: baot@mskcc.org.
- 3
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Integrative Medicine Service, 1429 First Avenue, New York, NY 10021, United States. Electronic address: dengg@mskcc.org.
Abstract
Chemotherapy-induced
peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a serious dose-limiting side-effect
without any FDA-approved treatment option. Prior reviews focus mostly on
pharmacological interventions, but nonpharmaceutical interventions have
also been evaluated. A Web of Science and PubMed database search to
identify relevant RCTs from January 2005 to May 2015 included the terms:
CIPN, cancer; and supplements, vitamin E, goshajinkigan, kampo,
acetyl-L-carnitine, carnitine, alpha-lipoic acid, omega-3, glutamine, or
glutamate; or massage, acupuncture, mind-body practice, yoga,
meditation, Tai-Chi, physical activity, or exercise. Of 1465
publications screened, 12 RCTs evaluated natural products and one
evaluated electroacupuncture. Vitamin E may help prevent CIPN.
L-Glutamine, goshajinkigan, and omega-3 are also promising.
Acetyl-L-carnitine may worsen CIPN and alpha-lipoic acid activity is
unknown. Electroacupuncture was not superior to placebo. No RCTs were
published regarding other complementary therapies, although some studies
mention positive incidental findings. Natural products and
complementary therapies deserve further investigation, given the lack of
effective CIPN interventions.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
KEYWORDS:
Chemotherapy; Complementary therapies; Dietary supplements; Integrative medicine; Natural products; Peripheral neuropathy; Platinum drugs; Randomized controlled trials
