Harnessing high-concentration (179 mg) capsaicin patches for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: Evidence and implications from the QUCIP study

Chemotherapy remains a cornerstone of modern cancer treatment, yet its neurotoxic side effects can pose significant challenges. Peripheral nerve damage and the resulting pain not only affect patients’ quality of life but also contribute to substantial economic burden. Despite the medical need, a definitive curative treatment for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) remains elusive, leaving many patients reliant on analgesics for pain relief. The QUCIP study, a prospective, multi-center observational study spanning 36 weeks, has recently yielded data evaluating the effectiveness of up to three treatments with high-concentration (179 mg) capsaicin patch (HCCP) in 73 female patients with painful CIPN following neoadjuvant/adjuvant breast cancer therapy. In this review, we discuss the results of the QUCIP trial and position its findings within the broader body of evidence on repeated HCCP treatment, highlighting its potential to progressively improve therapeutic outcomes and reduce the burden of CIPN in oncology care.