Improving Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Patients with Breast or Colon Cancer after End of (Neo)adjuvant Therapy: Results from the Observational Study STEFANO

Abstract

Introduction: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common side effect persisting after completion of neurotoxic chemotherapies. This observational study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the dietary supplement OnLife® (patented mixture of specific fatty acids and palmitoylethanolamide) in improving symptoms of CIPN in breast and colon cancer patients. Methods: Improvement of CIPN was evaluated in adult patients, previously treated with (neo)adjuvant paclitaxel- (breast cancer) or oxaliplatin-based (colon cancer) therapies, receiving OnLife® for 3 months after completion of chemotherapy. The primary endpoint was to compare the severity of peripheral sensory neuropathy (PSN) and peripheral motor neuropathy (PMN) before and at the end of OnLife® treatment. Secondary endpoints included the assessment of patient-reported quality of life and CIPN symptoms as assessed by questionnaires. Results: 146 patients (n = 75 breast cancer patients and n = 71 colon cancer patients) qualified for analysis; 31.1% and 37.5% of breast cancer patients had an improvement of PSN and PMN, respectively. In colon cancer patients, PSN and PMN improved in 16.9% and 20.0% of patients, respectively. According to patient-reported outcomes, 45.9% and 37.5% of patients with paclitaxel-induced PSN and PMN, and 23.9% and 22.0% of patients with oxaliplatin-induced PSN and PMN experienced a reduction of CIPN symptoms, respectively. Conclusion: OnLife® treatment confirmed to be beneficial in reducing CIPN severity and in limiting the progression of neuropathy, more markedly in paclitaxel-treated patients and also in patients with oxaliplatin-induced CIPN.