BackgroundCisplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a frequent and often persistent complication in survivors of testicular germ cell tumors (GCT) treated with curative therapy. Although several mechanisms have been proposed, the biological drivers of long-term neurotoxicity remain incompletely understood.
Disruption of intestinal barrier integrity during chemotherapy or radiotherapy may promote gut microbial translocation (GMT), leading to systemic immune activation and chronic inflammation that could contribute to neuropathy development. This study investigated the relationship between circulating biomarkers of GMT and symptoms of CIPN in long-term GCT survivors.MethodsA total of 170 GCT survivors (median age 41 years) from the National Cancer Institute of Slovakia were included, with a median follow-up of 10 years after treatment.
Participants completed the EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 questionnaire assessing sensory, motor, and autonomic neuropathy. Peripheral blood samples were analyzed for plasma biomarkers associated with gut microbial translocation and innate immune activation, including soluble CD14 (sCD14), high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and D-lactate.
Frontiers in Immunology published a clinical update in Infectious Disease on 11 May 2026.
The item focuses on Cisplatin - induced peripheral neuropathy and biomarkers of gut microbial translocation in testicular germ cell tumor survivors.
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