New Topical Cream Reduces Neuropathy Symptoms, Study Finds

An over-the-counter cream can soothe symptoms of neuropathy from chemotherapy, suggests a report in the journal Clinical and Translational Oncology.  The cream, called Oncapsisens, is only available in Europe.

Neuropathy is nerve damage that’s a side effect of some types of chemotherapy. It can leave people with breast cancer with pain, numbness, or tingling in areas like their hands and feet. Research shows that chemotherapy-induced neuropathy can affect balance and cause chronic pain, even after treatment ends. Currently, there’s no treatment to directly repair nerve damage from neuropathy, but some medications may offer pain relief by blocking inflammation. 

Researchers at Miguel Hernandez University in Spain developed the cream Oncapsisens based on a centuries-old chili pepper compound known to relieve shooting or burning nerve pain: capsaicin. The capsaicin spin-off protects the nerve endings in the skin from damage. In animal studies, the cream calmed hypersensitivity and itch that arises from nerve damage, making it a possible candidate for chemotherapy-induced neuropathy. 

To test how this cream works in people with cancer, the researchers recruited 142 people from across Spain and Belgium who were about to start chemotherapy treatment. Most of the people in the study had breast cancer and were receiving a taxane-based chemotherapy like Taxol. 

Half of the group used Oncapsisens once daily on their hands at the start of chemotherapy treatment. The other half used a once-daily moisturizer that was similar to Oncapsiens, but didn’t have the active ingredient that targets the nerves. As treatment progressed and symptoms of neuropathy began, both groups were instructed to increase their use of the moisturizers to twice a day.

People who used Oncapsisens had delayed neuropathy symptoms and less hand neuropathy overall compared with those who used the other moisturizer. People using the regular moisturizing cream reported bothersome symptoms 60% of the time during chemotherapy, while people using Ocapsisens reported the same symptoms 39% of the time. The cream could alleviate neuropathy pain for people with breast cancer going through chemo. 

“Before the development of this formulation, oncologists and patients had no specific product to relieve these symptoms, which were often so severe that they led to dose reduction or even [stopping] treatment,” said study author Asia Fernández Carvajal, PhD in a press release. Carvajal is a professor of biochemistry at Miguel Hernandez University. The authors wrote that a larger study is needed to confirm the findings and determine when and how much cream people should use.

A representative at Prospera Biotech, the company that produces Ocapsisens, says they are currently unable to ship orders to the United States, though they hope to offer international shipping in the future.