The Influence of Chemotherapy on Position Sense

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is one of the most prevalent side-effects of chemotherapy, causing sensory and motor symptoms in patients. CIPN development is especially prevalent in chemotherapy treatment involving platinum- and taxane-based agents. The accompanying pain and deficits greatly impact the quality of life of these patients. Currently, patients are assessed for altered somatosensory using quantitative sensory testing (QST). The German Research Network on Neuropathic Pain (DFNS) has developed a standardized protocol which has been internationally recognized as approach for performing the QST. However, for proprioception the QST is limited to vibration assessments, making it limited as the only test to measure proprioception. Therefore, a comprehensive assessment of the proprioceptive functions is needed to better understand the influence CIPN has on the proprioception of patients, and thereby their quality of life. In this project the effects of chemotherapy on somatosensory and proprioceptive functioning of breast cancer patients will be assessed in a cross-sectional study. This will be tested by comparing two groups of breast cancer patients and a healthy control group. Both patient groups will have undergone surgery for breast cancer, however, only one group will be tested after undergoing additional chemotherapy treatment. Thereby, the effects of chemotherapy between the surgery-only patient group and the chemotherapy patient group can tested. Furthermore, the investigators will compare both patient groups to sex- and age-matched healthy controls.