Evaluation Of Comparative Efficacy Of The Combination Of Modified Buerger Allen Exercise And Epsom Salt Foot Bath As Against Modified Buerger Allen Exercise And Epsom Salt Foot Bath Alone For The Management Of Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy In Breast Cancer Patients

Abstract

PREFACE newlineThis Ph.D. thesis is focused on evaluating the comparative efficacy of the combination of newlinemodified Buerger-Allen exercise and Epsom salt foot bath as against modified Buerger-Allen newlineexercise and Epsom salt foot bath alone for the management of chemotherapy-induced newlineperipheral neuropathy in breast cancer patients. Cancer occurs when abnormal cells divide in newlinean uncontrolled manner. The estimated number of cancer cases in India in 2022 is 1,461,427, newlinewhere one in nine people is likely to develop cancer in their lifetime, which is a major concern newlineand burden among the population. As cancer continues to rise in India, breast cancer has newlinesuppressed lung cancer and has become the most prevalent cancer. According to projections, newlinethe breast cancer burden among the females in India in 2025 will be approximately 5.6 newlinemillion. newlineThe most common treatments for breast cancer are surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, newlinehormonal therapy, and immunotherapy. Chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicity is one of the newlinemost frequent side effects of antineoplastic drugs, occurring in 19 85% of cases. Platinumbased newlinemedications, such as taxanes, thalidomide, and ixabepilone, are among the most newlinefrequently used medications that cause neurotoxicity. chemotherapy-induced peripheral newlineneuropathy (CIPN) symptoms typically appear late, with the exception of paclitaxel and newlineoxaliplatin medications, which can cause symptoms to appear as soon as 72 h after infusion. newlineA few signs of CIPN include loss of sensation, tingling, burning sensation, stabbing pain, and newlineincreased thermal sensation. As there are different pathophysiology s due to differences in newlineclinical features, no gold standard treatment protocol is available to treat CIPN symptoms. newlineSome of the available treatments to manage CIPN symptoms, such as amitriptyline, newlinecannabinoids, total menthol, acupuncture, scrambler therapy, etc., have insufficient evidence newlineof effectiveness. newlineBuerger-Allen exercise and Epsom-salt foot baths are more useful as a non-pharmacological newlineintervention to delay or prevent CIPN sy