N-acetyl Cysteine Effect in Peripheral Neuropathy in Cancer Patients

Paclitaxel is a first-line chemotherapeutic treatment of solid tumors. Neuronal damage also seems to have a major role in paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain, paclitaxel contributes to ROS formation (superoxide, hydroxyl radical, nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide) in neuronal mitochondria that are involved in nerve injury-induced.

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a cysteine pro-drug and glutathione (GSH) precursor which is a protective agent and detoxifies and scavenges reactive oxygen species (ROS), which seems to help normalize the oxidative status.

It has been reported that high dose of N-acetylcysteine shown to Prevent retrograde motor neuron death after neonatal peripheral nerve injury and significantly increases motor neuron survival, which may improve functional outcomes after obstetrical brachial plexus injury in rats.

Also, it has been reported that NAC significantly inhibited CCI-induced microglia activation but elicited no notable effects on astrocytes. These results demonstrate an effective and safe approach that has been used clinically to alleviate neuropathic pain via the powerful inhibition of the activation of MMPs in rats.

N-acetylcysteine has been shown to have neuroprotective effects against oxaliplatin-based adjuvant chemotherapy in colon cancer patients with Oral administration of N-acetylcysteine1,200 mg) was given one and a half hours before each oxaliplatin administration.

Inclusion criteria

• Adult patients (>18 years old).
• Breast cancer patients who will receive adjuvant weekly paclitaxel for 12 cycles.
• ECOG performance status 0-2
• Adequate bone marrow function (white blood count ≥4,000/mm3, platelet count ≥100,000/mm3), liver function (serum total bilirubin <1.5 mg/dl), renal function (creatinine <1.5 mg/dl).

Exclusion criteria

• Patients who have any of the following:

• Clinical neuropathy.
• Diabetes mellitus.
• Patients receiving vitamin B1, B6, B12,or other vitamin supplemental therapy.
• Patients receiving antidepressants, opioids, adjuvant analgesic agents (eg, anticonvulsants, clonazepam, or mexiletine), topical analgesics, and amifostine.
• Hypersensitivity to NAC.