Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for the Treatment of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Cancer Survivors

July 16, 2026 updated by: University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center

Improving Sensorimotor Function in CIPN: A Randomized, Sham Controlled, Double Blinded, Crossover Mechanistic Trial of Transcranial Direct Current to the Sensorimotor Cortex

This clinical trial tests how well a type of non-invasive brain stimulation called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) works to treat chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) in cancer survivors. CIPN is numbness, tingling, pain, and movement problems that can develop after chemotherapy as a result of changes to the nerves. A non-invasive form of brain stimulation called tDCS, applied to the area of the brain involved in sensation and movement, can temporarily improve the ability to detect vibration and temperature, as well as balance and walking, which may improve sensation and reduce pain in cancer survivors with CIPN.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
50

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Michigan
      • Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48109
        • University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Brendan L. McNeish
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 18 to 85 years of age
  • Diagnosis of cancer, stages I-IV
  • Cancer survivor (not currently receiving chemotherapy, radiation, or immunotherapy)
  • Presence of CIPN defined as new, length-dependent numbness, tingling, and/or pain that developed with neurotoxic chemotherapy
  • CIPN20 score ≥ 20
  • Able to walk unassisted
  • Proficient in English

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Known brain metastases
  • Known neurological conditions aside from chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN)
  • History of brain or spinal surgery
  • Neuropathy other than CIPN
  • Significant hearing or vision deficits
  • Vestibulopathy
  • Currently receiving chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or immunotherapy
  • Contraindications to transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), including recent seizures
  • Presence of metallic objects in the head
  • Presence of specific implanted medical devices (e.g., deep brain stimulator, cochlear implant, vagus nerve stimulator, spinal cord stimulator, pacemakers, and intracardiac devices)
  • Active scalp dermatological conditions

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Arm I (active tDCS)
Patients undergo tDCS to the sensorimotor cortex, using the Starstim-8™ system, for 20 minutes. One week later, patients cross-over to Arm II.
Other: Survey Administration
Ancillary studies
Device: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
Undergo tDCS
Other Names:
  • tDCS
Sham Comparator: Arm II (sham tDCS)
Patients undergo sham tDCS to the sensorimotor cortex, using the Starstim-8™ system, for 20 minutes. One week later, patients cross-over to Arm I.
Other: Survey Administration
Ancillary studies
Procedure: Sham Intervention
Undergo sham tDCS
Other Names:
  • Sham Comparator
  • sham (procedure)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Vibration detection threshold
Time Frame: at weeks 2 and 3
Assessed via Vibration Detection Threshold (CASE IV): Quantitative sensory testing (QTS) for large fiber function. Will conduct a series of two-way analysis of variance (ANOVAs) with each of the vibratory thresholds, cold thresholds, and physical function measures as the dependent variables. Group (active transcranial direct current stimulation [tDCS] versus sham tDCS) and time (baseline, immediate post) will be included as fixed factors of interest along with their interaction to assess treatment effects over time.
at weeks 2 and 3

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Cold detection threshold
Time Frame: at weeks 2 and 3
Assessed via Cold Detection Threshold (CASE IV): QST for small fiber function. Will conduct a series of two-way ANOVAs with each of the vibratory thresholds, cold thresholds, and physical function measures as the dependent variables. Group (active tDCS versus sham tDCS) and time (baseline, immediate post) will be included as fixed factors of interest along with their interaction to assess treatment effects over time.
at weeks 2 and 3
Correlation between executive function and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) severity
Time Frame: At baseline
Assessed with European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-CIPN20. Will use multivariable models with CIPN20 as the dependent variable, executive function as the primary predictor, and sural amplitude as a covariate. Additional covariates will include age, sex, depression, and pain.
At baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Brendan L McNeish, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
August 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
February 1, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
February 1, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 18, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 24, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 29, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 17, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 16, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • UMCC 2025.097
  • NCI-2026-03995 (Registry Identifier: CTRP (Clinical Trial Reporting Program))
  • HUM00276508 (Other Identifier: University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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