International Journal of Molecular Sciences Review Mechanisms of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Renata Zaj ˛aczkowska 1,* , Magdalena Kocot-K˛epska 2 , Wojciech Leppert 3 , Anna Wrzosek 1 , Joanna Mika 4 and Jerzy Wordliczek 1 1 Department of Interdisciplinary Intensive Care, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, 31-501 Krakow, Poland;
[email protected] (A.W.);
[email protected] (J.W.) 2 Department of Pain Research and Treatment, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, 31-501 Krakow, Poland;
[email protected] 3 Chair and Department of Palliative Medicine Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-245 Poznan, Poland;
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[email protected] Received: 31 January 2019; Accepted: 19 March 2019; Published: 22 March 2019 Abstract: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is one of the most frequent side effects caused by antineoplastic agents, with a prevalence from 19% to over 85%. Clinically, CIPN is a mostly sensory neuropathy that may be accompanied by motor and autonomic changes of varying intensity and duration. Due to its high prevalence among cancer patients, CIPN constitutes a major problem for both cancer patients and survivors as well as for their health care providers, especially because, at the moment, there is no single effective method of preventing CIPN; moreover, the possibilities of treating this syndrome are very limited. There are six main substance groups that cause damage to peripheral sensory, motor and autonomic neurons, which result in the development of CIPN: platinum-based antineoplastic agents, vinca alkaloids, epothilones (ixabepilone), taxanes, proteasome inhibitors (bortezomib) and immunomodulatory drugs (thalidomide).