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Falls and functional impairments in cancer survivors with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN): a University of Rochester CCOP study

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Abstract

Purpose

This study was conducted in order to characterize the prevalence of falls and functional impairments (FIs) and their association with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) in cancer survivors.

Methods

We analyzed baseline assessments from a phase III RCT in cancer survivors with self-reported CIPN scores of >4 out of 10. Patients completed the EORTC QLQ-CIPN-20 for neuropathy and reported falls in the previous 3 months. FIs were defined using the Activities of Daily Living subsection of the Vulnerable Elder’s Scale. Associations of baseline characteristics and CIPN with falls and FIs were examined using logistic regression.

Results

Of 421 patients, 11.9 % experienced recent falls and 26.6 % reported FIs. Motor neuropathy was the only factor associated with falls (OR = 1.127, p = 0.01). Factors associated with FIs included non-white race (OR = 0.335 white relative to non-white, 0.781, p = 0.01) and greater motor neuropathy scores (OR = 1.262, p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

CIPN, primarily motor, is associated with falls and FIs. Future prospective research should investigate the ability of motor neuropathy severity to predict falls.

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded by the National Cancer Institute (R25CA10618 and U10CA37420). The work was also funded by a generous gift from Sandy Lloyd to the Geriatric Oncology Program at the James Wilmot Cancer Center. The study sponsors had no role in the study design, data collection, or data interpretation. We thank the patients, clinicians, and researchers of the University of Rochester Community Clinical Oncology Program who contributed to this study.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. We have full control of all primary data and agree to allow the journal to review the data if requested.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Ave, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA

    J. S. Gewandter, K. Mustian, L. Peppone, C. Heckler & G. R. Morrow

  2. Department of Public Health, University of Rochester Medical Center, 265 Crittenden Blvd, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA

    L. Fan

  3. Department of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Ave, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA

    A. Magnuson, M. Tejani & S. G. Mohile

  4. Southeast Cancer Control Consortium, Piedmont HEM/ONC Assocs, 445 Pineview Dr. Suite 200, Kernersville, NC, 27284, USA

    J. Hopkins

  5. Wilmot Cancer Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Box 704, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA

    S. G. Mohile

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  1. J. S. Gewandter
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  2. L. Fan
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  3. A. Magnuson
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  10. S. G. Mohile
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Correspondence to S. G. Mohile.

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Gewandter, J.S., Fan, L., Magnuson, A. et al. Falls and functional impairments in cancer survivors with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN): a University of Rochester CCOP study. Support Care Cancer 21, 2059–2066 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-013-1766-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-013-1766-y

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