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Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy

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Abstract

Recent advances in the development and administration of chemotherapy for malignant diseases have led to prolonged survival of patients and the promise of a return to normal lives. The cost of progress comes with a price, however, and the nervous system is frequently the target of therapy-induced toxicity. Unlike more immediate toxicities that affect the gastrointestinal tract and bone marrow, chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicity is frequently delayed in onset and may progress over time. In the peripheral nervous system, the major brunt of the toxic attack is directed against the peripheral nerve, targeting the neuronal cell body, the axonal transport system, the myelin sheath, and glial support structures, resulting in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Headache and Pain, Department of Neurology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA

    Mark Stillman

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  1. Bushra Malik
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Correspondence to Mark Stillman.

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Malik, B., Stillman, M. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 8, 56–65 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11910-008-0010-5

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