High-concentration Capsaicin Patch for the Prevention of Paclitaxel-induced Peripheral Neuropathy

Phase 4Not Yet RecruitingNCT07834281

Case Comprehensive Cancer Center240 enrolled

Overview

This research study is for participants who are receiving paclitaxel infusion as part of their cancer treatment. The purpose of this study is to test the effectiveness of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved high-concentration (8%) capsaicin patch (HCCP) in prevention of taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy (nerve pain in hands and/or feet). Participants will be randomized, like flipping a coin, into one of four groups. Group one will receive the HCCP on one hand and one foot 60 minutes prior to each infusion. Group two will receive the HCCP on one hand and one foot 30 minutes prior to each infusion. Group three will receive a placebo patch on one hand and one foot containing a very low concentration of capsaicin (0.025%) for 60 minutes prior to infusion. Group four will receive a placebo patch on one hand and one foot for 30 minutes prior to infusion. Participants will have an equal chance of being placed in each of the four groups.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common, serious side effect of drugs used to treat cancer, such as taxanes. CIPN affects up to 80% of people receiving chemotherapy cancer treatment, and the incidence of CIPN is expected to increase as cancer survival increases. CIPN can cause sensory loss, neuropathic (nerve-related) pain, gait instability (problems with balance), and fine motor impairment. These symptoms can often continue for years after treatment is completed. These symptoms may also cause doctors to lower or stop chemotherapy, which may affect the outcomes of cancer treatment. CIPN is a leading cause of poor quality of life for millions of cancer survivors. Despite how common and serious CIPN is, there are no FDA-approved preventive therapies for CIPN. The high-concentration capsaicin patch (HCCP, 8%) is an FDA-approved topical therapy for peripheral neuropathic pain that acts by prolonged activation and reversible "defunctionalization" of nerve cells called Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 (TRPV1)-expressing sensory neurons. TRPV1 plays an important role in how pain is felt by acting as a receptor on sensory neurons. This means that it detects and relays painful stimuli to the central nervous system. Damaging TRPV1 by using the topical HCCP patch leads to temporary relief without permanent nerve injury or systemic side effects. HCCP has demonstrated clinical efficacy in treating established CIPN; however, its use as a preventive intervention has not been reported. Preclinical and translational data indicate that early modulation of TRPV1-calcium signaling may prevent maladaptive neuronal hyperexcitability and epigenetic changes that underlie chronic neuropathy. Thus, repurposing HCCP to preemptively modulate this pathway represents a novel, mechanism-based opportunity to prevent CIPN before irreversible neurodegeneration occurs. This project directly addresses a high-impact unmet need by testing whether pretreatment with HCCP reduces the incidence and severity of CIPN. By integrating a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial with multimodal neurophysiological, participant-reported, and molecular assessments, this work will generate rigorous clinical and mechanistic evidence supporting a scalable, non-invasive, and rapidly translatable prevention strategy. If successful, these findings will shift the CIPN management paradigm from reactive symptom control to proactive prevention, improving treatment adherence, functional outcomes, and survivorship quality.

Interventions

High Concentration Capsaicin Patch (HCCP)OTHER

Participants will receive 8% HCCP patch. It will be administered on the hand or foot for either 30 or 60 minutes, depending on which arm the participant is in. It will be administered at baseline (Week 0), just prior to starting standard of care chemotherapy. It will be administered again on Week 11, as long as the participant is expected to receive standard of care chemotherapy on Week 12.

Placebo patchOTHER

Participants will receive the placebo patch containing 0.025% capsaicin. It will be administered on the hand or foot for either 30 or 60 minutes, depending on which arm the participant is in. It will be administered at baseline (Week 0), just prior to starting standard of care chemotherapy. It will be administered again on Week 11, as long as the participant is expected to receive standard of care chemotherapy on Week 12.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 65 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Adult participants (ages 18-65 years old) * Eligible participants must have intact skin in the areas to be treated (hands and feet) * Participants must have the ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document. Exclusion Criteria: * Participants with pre-existing peripheral neuropathy, concurrent use of other neurotoxic medications, palliative-intent chemotherapy, pregnancy, inability to provide informed consent or participate in follow-up visits, or any contraindications listed in the HCCP Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC)8 will be excluded. * Pregnant or breastfeeding women are excluded from this study because Paclitaxel is a chemotherapy agent with the potential for teratogenic or abortifacient effects. * HIV-positive participants will not be excluded unless the participant has an established peripheral neuropathy related to HIV or its treatment. HIV testing is not required for this study.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy due to HCCP patch

Change in taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy is measured by the incidence of grade ≥2 neuropathy (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, CTCAE v5.0).