Skin nerve–immune links in chemotherapy-related hand and foot nerve pain
Official title: Contribution of cutaneous neuro-immune interactions to chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy
Funded at Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NIH-11240287 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how interactions between skin nerves and the immune system may cause long-lasting hand and foot nerve pain after the chemotherapy drug oxaliplatin.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2024 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $177,131 |
| NIH project number | 5R21CA297068-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11240287 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who have received oxaliplatin and who have ongoing numbness, tingling, burning, or weakness in their hands or feet would be most relevant.
✕Less likely to help
People without chemotherapy-induced neuropathy or whose nerve symptoms are due to other causes are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers are using mouse models of oxaliplatin chemotherapy to study how nerves in the skin of the hands and feet interact with immune cells and how those interactions may cause long-lasting pain, numbness, or tingling. They will map changes in skin nerve fibers and immune cell behavior after treatment, focusing on the areas where chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy most often appears. By comparing affected skin to normal skin, the team aims to identify signals that drive nerve damage and persistent symptoms. This information could point toward new targets to prevent or treat chronic nerve symptoms after chemotherapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or treat long-lasting hand and foot nerve pain after oxaliplatin chemotherapy.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked immune cells to nerve damage at the dorsal root ganglia, but examining immune–nerve interactions in the skin is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
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Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shiozawa, Yusuke — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Shiozawa, Yusuke
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Non-invasive, microscopic biomarkers to detect CIPN in chemotherapy patients
This grant aims to develop a non-invasive imaging method to measure nerve changes in patients undergoing chemotherapy to better understand and monitor chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN).
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This study follows people with breast or gastrointestinal cancer and healthy controls to see if brain processing of body sensations contributes to chemotherapy-induced nerve damage.
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A new screen for chemotherapy-related nerve problems in young children
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A study in mice explores whether female immune cells in nerve tissue can lessen pain from chemotherapy, with potential implications for preventing CIPN in women.
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Axonal transport and chemotherapy-related nerve pain
This grant studies why certain cancer patients develop painful nerve damage from chemotherapy and explores ways to prevent or treat it.
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Remote monitoring and nurse follow-up to manage chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy
A program uses symptom reporting tools with nurse follow-up to reduce and better manage chemotherapy-induced neuropathy for cancer survivors, during and after treatment.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.