Understanding how body sensations affect nerve pain from chemotherapy
Official title: Longitudinal assessment of the role of interoception in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) along the cancer chemotherapy continuum
Funded at University of Maryland Baltimore · NIH-10800311 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how chemotherapy affects nerve pain and how your brain senses these feelings, and it's for people with breast or gastrointestinal cancer who are getting treatment, as well as some healthy individuals for comparison.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Maryland Baltimore NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | September 4, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $619,710 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA278939-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10800311 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients diagnosed with breast or gastrointestinal cancer who are scheduled to receive taxane or platinum-based chemotherapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not undergoing chemotherapy or those with other unrelated medical conditions may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the impact of chemotherapy on nerve pain, specifically focusing on how the brain processes sensations from the body, known as interoception. It involves observing 120 patients with breast or gastrointestinal cancer receiving specific chemotherapy treatments, alongside 60 healthy individuals for comparison. Participants will undergo assessments before, shortly after, and six months after chemotherapy, which will include brain imaging and evaluations of nerve function and symptoms. The goal is to uncover the underlying mechanisms of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) to improve patient care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to better understanding and management of nerve pain caused by chemotherapy, potentially improving the quality of life for cancer patients.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific focus on interoception in CIPN is relatively novel, previous research has shown that understanding brain-body interactions can lead to advancements in managing chemotherapy side effects.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Maryland Baltimore
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kleckner, Ian Robert — University of Maryland Baltimore
- Study coordinator: Kleckner, Ian Robert
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.