Pilot study of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in patients with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy

ObjectiveChemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is one of the intractable long-term side effects of anticancer medications and results in pain and dysesthesia. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the primary motor cortex has been demonstrated to provide effective relief for intractable neuropathic pain. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of rTMS treatment on CIPN in cancer patients.Materials and methodsEleven female patients with breast cancer or gynecologic cancer (mean age 64.8 [standard deviation 7.8]) who had neuropathic pain and/or peripheral sensory neuropathy, with a minimum two grade severity based on the scale of the National Cancer Institutes’ Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (version 4.0) were enrolled. Patients received rTMS (5-Hz; 500 pulses/session; figure-8 coil) on their primary motor cortex corresponding to the target extremity. The intensity of pain and dysesthesia for all extremities was evaluated using a visual analog scale for pain, dysesthesia, and the Japanese version of the short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire 2 (SFMPQ2).ResultsrTMS for target extremity significantly decreased the visual analog scale of pain and dysesthesia. The intensity of pain measured by the SFMPQ2 was also decreased in the target extremity. Regarding non-target extremities, only dysesthesia significantly decreased as a result of rTMS. No adverse events were observed.ConclusionThis is an initial report demonstrating the potential of rTMS for the treatment of CIPN. We suggest rTMS could be potentially beneficial and effective as a treatment for pain and dysesthesia in patients with CIPN.