Efficacy and Safety of HILOTERM® Device for the Prevention of Peripheral Neuropathy

Taxol is a very effective drug in breast cancer, but it can cause peripheral neuropathy (PN), that is damage to the nerves of the hands and feet. This toxicity can begin a few days to months after starting taxol treatment and is often dose-limiting. Symptoms of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) usually improve after taxol discontinuation, but \>80% of affected women experience symptoms 1-3 years after treatment stop. The intensity, the duration and the type of symptoms related to PN are very different and they range from mild and transient symptoms to more severe and persistent symptoms. These symptoms can strongly interfere with patients' quality of life and can create difficulties in carrying out activities of daily living. Despite numerous pharmacological approaches, no substance has proven capable of counteracting the onset of PN in patients eligible to receive chemotherapy with taxol. Some clinical studies have shown that the application of cold to the hands and feet is able to reduce the incidence of PN because the cold-induced constriction of the vessels leads to a reduction of blood flow and consequently to a reduced inflow of drug at the level of the hands and feet. Hilotherm® is a machine that allows to keep hands and feet at a constant temperature of 10°C. The aim of this study is to verify whether the use of Hilotherm® is able to reduce the incidence of moderate and severe PN and to evaluate the tolerability of Hilotherm® and its impact on quality of life.