Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity assessment: integrative review and implications for the practice of oncology nursing

Abstract

Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN) is a common toxicity result of using potentially neurotoxic antineoplastic agents. Its symptoms have an important impact on instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) and, therefore, monitoring its symptoms is fundamental for the implementation of an effective nursing care. In order to raise and discuss the main methods used for monitoring CIPN and some aspects relevant to nurses' performance, an integrative literature review was carried out between November 2009 and August 2010. The following steps were followed: establishment of a sample selection criteria; registration of instruments assessed at the original research; data analysis; interpretation and presentation of results. The results demonstrated that doctors and nurses developed instruments that, with their advantages and/or limitations, were published in order to standardize assessments. Among them electroneuromyography is "gold standard" for assessing CIPN. Instruments such as FACT/GOG-Ntx, the PNQ and QANPIA are still being evaluated in different languages, populations and study designs. In conclusion there is still no agreement on the best way to assess the severity of the alterations, as there is no nursing protocol established for evaluation. The development of effective tools would enable a better assessment of neuropathy and the discovery of new interventions.