A new study led by researchers at the George Washington University Cancer Center has found that cold therapy, also known as cryotherapy, can help protect breast cancer patients from nerve pain caused by chemotherapy.
Many breast cancer patients receive chemotherapy drugs like paclitaxel and nab-paclitaxel as part of their treatment.
While effective in fighting cancer, these drugs often cause a painful side effect known as peripheral neuropathy.
This condition can lead to long-lasting pain, tingling, and numbness in the hands, feet, and legs, making daily activities difficult.
The study, published in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, analyzed data from multiple studies to see whether cryotherapy could reduce the risk of this nerve damage.
Cryotherapy involves exposing parts of the body to extremely cold temperatures, which can help reduce inflammation and nerve damage.
The results were promising: cryotherapy lowered the risk of developing chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy by 55%. This means that more than half of the patients who used cold therapy experienced significant protection against nerve pain.
This finding is important because nerve damage from chemotherapy can sometimes be permanent, affecting a patient’s quality of life long after treatment ends. By using a simple and non-invasive method like cryotherapy, patients may be able to continue their cancer treatment with fewer side effects.
While more research is needed to refine the best ways to apply cryotherapy, this study suggests that cold therapy could become a valuable tool for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Doctors may consider recommending it as a preventive measure to help improve comfort and reduce long-term nerve pain.
The research findings can be found in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment.
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