A Scoping Review of Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy-Related Gait Abnormalities in Children With Cancer.
Regan Washist, Dan Steventon, Paige Samuelson and 3 others
PMID 39729330WHAT IT FOUND
Children with cancer or chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy walked slower, took shorter steps, and had tighter ankles or less ankle dorsiflexion than controls.
Across 3 small studies, the most consistent clue was ankle movement loss, not one universal gait pattern.
Key findings
01Only 3 studies met the review's inclusion criteria, and the number of children was small.
02Children with cancer or CIPN walked slower, took shorter steps, and had reduced ankle dorsiflexion or increased ankle tightness compared with controls.
03Gait deviations varied across muscle activity, movement, force, and timing measures, and did not form one universal pattern.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 3 studies met the inclusion criteria, and the number of children was small. The review did not assess study quality, so the strength of the included studies is unclear. Searches were limited to English articles published since 2000, which may have excluded relevant work. The included studies primarily involved children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, so findings may not apply to all childhood cancers or treatment combinations. Gait differences may not be due to chemotherapy alone, because children after all medical treatment were compared with controls, and deficits appeared in some children not likely exposed to neurotoxic chemotherapy. Younger or developmentally delayed children may not report symptoms well. This makes assessment harder.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that chemotherapy alone caused the gait differences. The included studies compared children after all medical treatment, including chemotherapy, with controls, and deficits appeared even in children not likely exposed to neurotoxic chemotherapy, so other factors such as immobility may contribute.