Antidepressants may reduce chemotherapy side effect

A prescription to buy Paxil or similar medications may have benefits for patients undergoing chemotherapy as part of cancer treatment. A new study shows that antidepressants can relieve a painful tingling sensation that is common in many chemotherapy patients.

The findings could represent a significant advancement in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. Currently, there are no effective treatments for this side effect, which can be painful at times and even lead to long-term loss of sensation.

For the study, researchers assigned 231 chemotherapy patients who had reported neuropathy symptoms to receive either an antidepressant or placebo. The results showed that 59 percent of those who received the active drug reported improvements in their symptoms, while just 39 percent of those in the placebo group improved.

Still, the researchers said antidepressants are likely not a perfect treatment, as they typically have little to no effect in some people. Understanding why not everyone responds and identifying patients who have the most to gain could play an important role in using antidepressants to treat chemotherapy side effects.