Feasibility of clinical implementation and acceptability of patient-reported screening for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN).

PURPOSE: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a major side-effect of cancer treatment, leading to early treatment cessation and long-lasting disability. This project aimed to determine acceptability and barriers of routine CIPN screening.

METHODS

In a prospective sample across two sites, patients scheduled for treatment or treated with neurotoxic therapy were eligible to complete CIPN screening at any cycle. Three brief patient-reported outcome screening tools (NCI-PRO-CTCAE, PNQ, and EviQ) and a short feasibility questionnaire were deployed (termed CIPN-Screen) during appointments (Centre 1) or via automated text messages (Centre 2).

RESULTS

Seven hundred fifty-five screens were undertaken in 159 participants between March 2022 and November 2023, with 109 at Centre 1 (median[IQR] 1[1]screen) and 646 at Centre 2 (median[IQR] 8[6]screens). Automatic text message reminders at Centre 2 enabled longitudinal assessments to be collected. 426 screens (56.4%) identified CIPN symptoms with 138 (18.3%) moderate-to-severe. Most respondents reported that the CIPN-Screen was easy to complete (92.0%, n = 671), easy to understand (91.6%, n = 668), and helpful to describe symptoms (85.6%, n = 624). Acceptability did not differ by age, sex, or chemotherapy type; however, acceptability did differ according to CIPN symptom severity (P = 0.0002). There were significant differences in CIPN symptom score over time (P < 0.0001, n = 52), indicating that the CIPN-Screen detected symptom evolution over time.

CONCLUSION

Questionnaire-based CIPN screening is feasible and assists in symptom profiling for patients treated with neurotoxic chemotherapy.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: CIPN is an important toxicity with lasting effects for cancer survivors. Identifying better approaches to patient-relevant CIPN screening will enable improved care for cancer survivors.