Gait and Balance Changes in Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy

描述（由申请人提供）：化疗引起的周围神经病变（CIPN）是几种常用化疗药物的剂量限制性毒性1。周围神经病变已被证明会导致疼痛、跌倒、行走困难和日常生活活动在许多不同的人群中发生，包括老年人、糖尿病患者和癌症患者。基于之前其他周围神经病变患者的数据，我们研究的中心假设是CIPN导致步态和平衡的改变，类似于在老年人和糖尿病周围神经病变人群中观察到的情况。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a dose-limiting toxicity1 of several commonly used classes of chemotherapy drugs. Peripheral neuropathies have been shown to lead to pain, falls, difficulty in walking and performing activities of daily living in many different populations including the elderly, diabetics, and, caner patients. Based on previous data from other groups of patients with peripheral neuropathies, the central hypothesis of our study is that CIPN results in altered gait and balance, similar to what has been observed in elderly and diabetic populations with peripheral neuropathy. To test our hypothesis, we will first characterize the alterations in gait and balance that occur i breast and colorectal cancer patients during chemotherapy with paclitaxel and oxaliplatin agents. Specifically, we will evaluate (1) spatiotemporal gait parameters, including cadence, step length, and step width, and (2) balance parameters, including time-to-contact and 95% ellipse area, using each patient as his/her own control. Subsequently, we will compare the natural history of changes in gait and balance parameters with changes in CIPN status as measured by validated objective and patient-report instruments including the TNS, EORTC CIPN-20 and BPI that are in commonly used in CIPN research. The long-term goal of our research is to reduce the burden of CIPN on cancer patients' mobility and quality of life. The overall objective of this application is to quantify the natural history o functional deficits that occur due to chemotherapy with oxaliplatin and paclitaxel. Completion of this study will establish the feasibility of evaluating balance and gait parameters as predictors o CIPN. If successful, then this will be an easy to implement and objective assessment of CIPN for future assessment of effectiveness of interventions that help mitigate or perhaps even prevent CIPN in breast and colorectal cancer survivors.