Light therapy to help nerve pain from cancer treatment

Plain-English translation of NCT05763706 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated March 2023 · Translation generated June 2026 · How we translate trials

This study doesn't follow the usual testing phases — it may be an observational study or a different type of research.

What is this trial?

This trial is testing photobiomodulation therapy—a treatment that uses special light (similar to laser or LED light) to help reduce nerve pain and numbness caused by chemotherapy. Researchers want to see if this light therapy can help people who are experiencing tingling, numbness, or burning sensations in their hands and feet after cancer treatment. The study will compare two different doses of light therapy to find out which works best.

Nerve pain and numbness affect about 7 out of 10 people after chemotherapy, and current treatments often don't work very well. This trial exists because researchers have early evidence that this light therapy might be able to reduce this pain and help improve patients' quality of life and daily activities.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you have received chemotherapy with one of these drugs: paclitaxel, docetaxel, oxaliplatin, cisplatin, vincristine, thalidomide, or bortezomib
you have been diagnosed with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (nerve pain or numbness from cancer treatment)
you are 18 years or older
you speak Dutch
you do not have untreated psychiatric or neurological conditions that would make study participation unsafe

You likely don't qualify if…

you are currently taking stable doses of nerve pain medications such as gabapentin, pregabalin, nortriptyline, amitriptyline, duloxetine, or venlafaxine
you have severe or unstable heart, breathing, or musculoskeletal disease
you have very dark brown or black skin (Fitzpatrick skin type VI), as the light therapy may not work effectively

What participation looks like

If you join this trial, you will receive 12 light therapy sessions over 6 weeks, coming in twice per week for about 30 minutes per session. The light therapy is applied to the areas of your hands and feet where you experience numbness or pain. You will be assigned to one of two groups that receive slightly different doses of light to help researchers figure out which works better.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 1, 2026 · Not medical advice

Trial locations(1 site)

Belgium

Jessa Hospital, Hasselt, Limburg