Understanding and treating nerve damage from chemotherapy
Official title: Axonal transport and chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy
Funded at Dana-Farber Cancer Inst · NIH-11110471 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how chemotherapy causes nerve damage in cancer patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dana-Farber Cancer Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2016 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $590,280 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA205255-09 |
| Project ID | NIH-11110471 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research is relevant to cancer patients who experience or are at risk of developing chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN).
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not receive chemotherapy or do not develop nerve damage from it would not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Chemotherapy can cause painful nerve damage, called CIPN, which can affect treatment and quality of life for many cancer patients and survivors. This project aims to understand exactly how chemotherapy drugs like paclitaxel damage nerve cells, specifically focusing on changes in calcium levels and other molecules that lead to nerve destruction. Researchers are using advanced lab models, including nerve cells grown from human patient samples, to identify key processes. The goal is to find new ways to protect nerves and prevent or treat this debilitating side effect.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatments that prevent or reduce the painful nerve damage caused by chemotherapy, significantly improving cancer patients' quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work under this grant has already shown a key role for increased calcium and specific enzymes in CIPN, building on existing knowledge.
Where this research is happening
-
Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Segal, Rosalind a. — Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
- Study coordinator: Segal, Rosalind a.
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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Longitudinal study of how body-sense relates to chemotherapy nerve damage
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
A clinician-scientist at Yale is developing a child-friendly survey to quickly screen for nerve-related side effects from cancer treatment in kids from birth to age 5.
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How the immune system’s CD4+ T cells in women might prevent chemotherapy-related nerve pain
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.