Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common and debilitating condition
associated with a number of chemotherapeutic agents. Drugs commonly implicated in
development of CIPN include platinum agents, taxanes, vinca alkaloids, bortezomib, and
thalidomide analogues. As response to the same drug can vary between individuals, it is
hypothesized that an individual’s specific genetic variants could impact regulation of genes
involved in drug pharmacokinetics, ion channel functioning, neurotoxicity, and DNA repair, which
in turn affect CIPN development and severity. Variations of other molecular markers may also
affect the incidence and severity of CIPN. Hence, the objective of this review is to summarize the
known biological (molecular and genomic) predictors of CIPN and discuss means to facilitate
progress in this field.
