- Cancers
Any condition that interferes with the normal function of the nerves is likely to produce neuropathy. Clinically, a tumor is a rapid development of cancerous or noncancerous abnormal cells on a healthy tissue or organ. When tumors develop on the nerves or compress the nerves, preventing the transmission of signals to the brain, peripheral neuropathy can result. Patients with cancer are most likely to develop neuropathy as a consequence of chemotherapy drugs, including vinca alkaloids, taxanes, platinum compounds, and thalidomide, among others.
Noncancerous tumors are also not wholly safe, as they can grow too close to or on a nerve, causing it to be compressed and cause limb pain and numbness. Patients with cancers of the nervous system, such as brain tumors, skull base tumors, and spine tumors, are reportedly more likely to develop peripheral neuropathy due to nerve injury.
