Quantitative Sensory Testing Demonstrates That Subclinical Sensory Neuropathy Is Prevalent in Patients With Cancer

Richard B. Lipton, Bradley S. Galer, Janice P. Dutcher, Russell K. Portenoy, Alan Berger, Joseph C. Arezzo, Mark Mizruchi, Peter H. Wiernik, Herbert H. Schaumburg

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

27 Scopus citations

Abstract

Vibration threshold (VT) determinations were used to assess the function of the large nerve-fiber sensory system in 171 patients with cancer and 58 healthy subjects. Significant differences in VT indicate dysfunction of this sensory system in the cancer group. Twelve percent of the cancer patients had elevated VT compared with 1.7% of control subjects. Elevated VT was not associated with risk factors for neuropathy such as diabetes, renal disease, poor nutrition, or treatment with chemotherapy. Although VT elevation was associated with alcoholism and increasing age, these variables accounted for only a small proportion of the variance in VT. These data suggest that VT determinations are a useful method for quantifying sensory abnormalities in cancer patients. Sensory abnormalities occur in a significant proportion of patients with cancer and seem to be related directly to the neoplasm, rather than to known risk factors for neuropathy.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)944-946
Number of pages3
JournalArchives of Neurology
Volume44
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 1987

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
  • Clinical Neurology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Quantitative Sensory Testing Demonstrates That Subclinical Sensory Neuropathy Is Prevalent in Patients With Cancer'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this