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Exploring the Benefit of Topical Capsaicin in Treating Pain From Chemo-induced Peripheral Neuropathy: a Longitudinal Single Center Pilot Study

Status and phase

Begins enrollment this month
Early Phase 1

Conditions

Peripheral Neuropathy Due to Chemotherapy

Treatments

Drug: Qutenza Patch

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other
Industry

Identifiers

NCT06744816
2024-1601
NCI-2024-10413 (Other Identifier)

Details and patient eligibility

About

To learn if topical capsaicin can help relieve pain from CIPN and improve gait (the pattern of walking) in patients.

Full description

Primary Objectives

• To assess changes in Gait (specifically looking at velocity) before and after use of topical capsaicin.

Secondary Objectives

  • To assess Pain intensity numerical rating scale (NRS) scores in chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) participants before and after use of capsaicin 8% topical patch.
  • To assess changes in quantitative sensory testing (QST) before and after use of topical capsaicin.
  • To assess skin punch biopsy to compare the integrity of epidermal nerve fibers and Meissner's corpuscles (MC) in CIPN patients before and after use of topical capsaicin (optional).
  • To assess pain tumor related neuropathy assessment scale (TNAS) before and after topical capsaicin
  • To assess pain interference using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), before and after topical capsaicin
  • To assess Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC)
  • To assess the rate of adverse events and tolerability of topical capsaicin as reported by participants

Enrollment

20 estimated patients

Sex

All

Ages

18+ years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

  • Participants diagnosed with pain of the lower extremity from chronic (>90 days duration) CIPN (due to either vinca alkaloids, taxanes, bortezomib, thalidomide, platinum-based compounds), seen at MD Anderson Cancer Center
  • Participants reporting baseline pain ≥ 4 (0-10 scale, NRS)
  • Participants age 18+
  • Participants who have completed chemotherapy within the last year at the time of enrollment.

Exclusion criteria

  • Participants with cognitive dysfunction
  • Participants with recent history (<6 months) of drug or alcohol abuse
  • Participants with open skin lesion or undergoing antibiotic therapy for local for systemic infection
  • Participants with allergies to capsaicin or adhesives
  • Pregnant participants

Trial design

Primary purpose

Treatment

Allocation

N/A

Interventional model

Single Group Assignment

Masking

None (Open label)

20 participants in 1 patient group

Treatment with Qutenza Patch (Topical Capsaicin)
Experimental group
Description:
Up to 4 topical capsaicin patches will be applied on your feet for 30 minutes.
Treatment:
Drug: Qutenza Patch

Trial contacts and locations

1

There are currently no registered sites for this trial.

Central trial contact

Saba Javed, MD

Timeline

Last updated: Mar 25, 2025

Today

May 09, 2025

Start date

Jun 05, 2025 • in 26 days

End date

Nov 30, 2025 • in 6 months

Sponsors of this trial

Collaborating Sponsor

Data sourced from clinicaltrials.gov