Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy negatively impacts physical, emotional, and social domains of health-related quality of life in children and adolescent cancer survivors.
Systematic Review
How does chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy impact health-related quality of life and self-care capabilities in children and adolescent cancer survivors?
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy negatively impacts physical, emotional, and social domains of HRQoL in pediatric cancer survivors, highlighting the need for proactive assessment and supportive self-management.
BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common, disabling toxicity in children and adolescents with cancer. CIPN's impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and self-care capability remains poorly understood. Guided by the Symptom Management Theory, this review examines these effects to inform improved CIPN management. OBJECTIVE: To define how the CIPN symptom experience is conceptualized within the Symptom Management Theory and examine its impact on HRQoL and self-care capability in children and adolescents aged ≤19 years receiving chemotherapy. INTERVENTIONS/METHODS: Four databases (CINAHL Ultimate, MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection) and 1 register (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) were searched on February 14, 2025, from inception using predefined eligibility criteria. Data were extracted, tabulated, assessed for methodological quality, and synthesized narratively. Reporting followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. RESULTS: No studies reported qualitative experiences of CIPN, and symptom management strategies were rarely described. Most studies reported negative impacts on physical, emotional, and social domains of HRQoL, with caregiver proxy reports often indicating worse outcomes than survivors' self-reports. CONCLUSION: Despite consistent reporting of symptom outcomes, major evidence gaps persist, particularly the absence of qualitative research capturing the lived experiences of CIPN. Future work should incorporate rigorous qualitative and longitudinal approaches to fully characterize the symptom experience and inform supported self-management. IMPLICATIONS FOR ONCOLOGY NURSING PRACTICE: Proactive assessment, education, and supportive self-management by nurses are essential to improving survivor HRQoL, particularly through addressing the impacts of CIPN and supporting ongoing symptom monitoring and management in survivorship.
Ford et al. (2026) conducted a systematic review in Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in cancer survivors. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy was evaluated on Health-related quality of life and self-care capability. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy negatively impacts physical, emotional, and social domains of health-related quality of life in children and adolescent cancer survivors.