Relationship between chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and quality of life in patients with hematologic malignancies

This study was aimed to identify the incidence and severity of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) among patients with hematologic malignancies and to examine the relationship between the quality of life (QOL) and CIPN. Methods: A total of 66 patients with CIPN-related symptoms participated in this study. Data were collected through self-reported questionnaires consisted of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 version 3.0 and the 16-item QLQ-CIPN20. Data were analyzed with SPSS/ WIN20 for descriptive statistics using the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests, and Spearman's rho. Results: The mean lower and upper extremity scale scores were 31.95 and 23.16 respectively for the 16-item QLQ-CIPN20. The mean QLQ-C30 subcategory scores were 46.84 for global health status, 58.72 for functional scales, and 34.85 for symptom scales. The CIPN-related lower extremity scale symptoms correlated negatively with the QOL subscales. There was no correlation between CIPN-related upper extremity symptoms and health-related QOL. Conclusion: Patients with hematologic malignancies treated with neurotoxic chemotherapeutic agents had CIPN-related symptoms in the lower extremities mainly, and their QOL functional subscale scores were relatively lower than those of other cancer patients. Interventions need to be developed for patients with hematologic malignancies to alleviate CIPN and enhance their QOL.