Antidepressant Drug Duloxetine May Help to Relieve Pain Caused by Chemotherapy

The antidepressant drug duloxetine, known commercially as Cymbalta, helped relieve painful tingling sensations resulting from chemotherapy in 59 percent of patients in a new University of Michigan study – the first clinical trial to find an effective treatment for this pain.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy is a common side effect of certain chemotherapy drugs. The tingling feeling – usually experienced in the toes, feet, fingers and hands – can be uncomfortable for many patients. However, for 30 percent of patients, it is a painful sensation. Previous studies have not found a reliable way to treat this type of pain. For more information, click here to read the full release.