Cooling and compression therapy to prevent nerve damage from chemotherapy

This trial is testing whether a simple technique using cold therapy (frozen gloves and socks) combined with compression therapy (tight surgical gloves) can prevent a serious side effect called peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy is nerve damage that causes numbness, tingling, and pain in the hands and feet — a common problem for patients receiving albumin-paclitaxel chemotherapy for HER-2 negative breast cancer. Half of the participants will receive the cooling and compression treatment during their chemotherapy infusions, while the other half will receive standard chemotherapy alone.

Albumin-paclitaxel is an effective chemotherapy, but it often damages nerves in the hands and feet, sometimes causing permanent pain and disability. Researchers want to know if keeping your hands and feet very cold during treatment can reduce or prevent this nerve damage, which would significantly improve quality of life for cancer patients.