2Department of Nursing, Retired Faculty Member, İstanbul-Türkiye DOI : 10.5505/tjo.2025.4698 OBJECTIVE
This study aims to investigate the effect of neuropathic pain on quality of life in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.
METHODS
This study included 100 patients with chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain, recruited between April
2019 and October 2020 from the outpatient chemotherapy and inpatient oncology-hematology clinics
of a foundation university hospital in Istanbul and the outpatient chemotherapy unit of a public hospital.
Data were collected using the Chemotherapy-Related Peripheral Neuropathy Form, Visual Analog
Scale, Neuropathic Pain Scale, and Neuropathic Pain Impact on Quality of Life Questionnaire.
RESULTS
The mean age of participants was 56.7±11.2 years; 42% were aged ?61 and 62% were women. While 94%
had received information about treatment and side effects, 74% attributed pain to the disease. Mean scores
were 17.15±4.15 for neuropathic pain, 6.64±1.96 for pain intensity, and 147.56±62.44 for quality of life.
Neuropathic pain intensity was higher in patients ≤50 years, women, employed individuals, and those receiving
the third chemotherapy cycle compared to later cycles. The impact of neuropathic pain on quality of
life was significantly greater in patients at the third versus fifth cycle and in those with color changes in the
pain area (p<0.05). A strong positive correlation was observed between neuropathic pain and quality of life.
CONCLUSION
As neuropathic pain severity was associated with individual and treatment-related factors and with patients"
quality of life, recommendations include routine assessment, patient and nurse education, and
further evidence-based research.