A stress-sensing switch in immune cells—not nerves—may be the hidden culprit behind chemo-induced pain, according to Cornell Chronicle.
Researchers at Weill Cornell and Wake Forest found that chemotherapy activates the IRE1α pathway, sparking inflammation that damages nerves and causes painful symptoms in up to half of patients.
Blocking this switch in mice reduced nerve damage and pain, and early patient data suggests a blood test might predict who’s most at risk—paving the way for preventive treatments during cancer care.
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