Cancer survivors who receive certain chemotherapy drugs sometimes develop nerve pain and tingling in their hands and feet. Researchers wanted to know if eating certain foods could help prevent this problem. They studied 136 cancer survivors and found that people who ate more refined grains (like white bread and sugary cereals) had more nerve pain, while those who ate more fish, eggs, tomatoes, and poultry had less. The study suggests that choosing whole grains and protein-rich foods might help reduce nerve damage from cancer treatment, but more research is needed to confirm these findings.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether eating different types of foods and nutrients affects nerve pain and tingling that some cancer survivors experience after chemotherapy treatment
  • Who participated: 136 cancer survivors who had received chemotherapy drugs known to cause nerve damage. Participants answered questions about their diet and reported any numbness or tingling they experienced
  • Key finding: Cancer survivors who ate more refined grains (white bread, sugary cereals) had about twice the risk of developing nerve pain. Those who ate fish, eggs, tomatoes, and poultry had significantly lower rates of nerve pain
  • What it means for you: If you’re a cancer survivor dealing with nerve pain, eating more fish, eggs, poultry, and tomatoes while limiting refined grains may help reduce symptoms. However, this is early research, and you should talk to your doctor before making major diet changes

The Research Details

This was a cross-sectional study, which means researchers looked at a group of people at one point in time rather than following them over months or years. Cancer survivors filled out two questionnaires: one asking about any numbness or tingling in their hands and feet, and another detailed food survey that asked what they typically eat. The researchers then looked for patterns between what people ate and whether they had nerve pain.

The food survey asked participants to remember what they ate over the past year, which helps researchers understand typical eating patterns. The nerve pain survey used a standard tool that doctors use to measure this specific side effect. Researchers used statistical methods to look for connections between diet and nerve pain while accounting for other factors that might affect the results.

This research approach is important because it’s one of the first studies to look at whether diet might help with this specific type of nerve pain. Understanding which foods might help or hurt could give cancer survivors practical ways to manage their symptoms. The study was designed to find patterns that could lead to bigger, more detailed studies in the future

This study has some important limitations to understand: it’s relatively small (136 people), it only looked at people at one moment in time rather than following them over time, and it was a secondary analysis (the original study wasn’t designed to answer these specific questions). The researchers used a looser standard for what counts as ‘interesting’ (p ≤ 0.10 instead of the typical p ≤ 0.05) because it’s exploratory research. These factors mean the findings are promising but need confirmation in larger, more detailed studies before doctors can make strong recommendations

What the Results Show

The study found clear patterns in eating habits between cancer survivors with and without nerve pain. People who ate more refined grains (like white bread, regular pasta, and sugary cereals) had about twice the odds of having nerve pain compared to those who ate less. For every additional serving of refined grains per day, the severity of nerve pain increased significantly.

On the positive side, eating more fish, eggs, and poultry was strongly linked to lower rates of nerve pain. For example, people who ate eggs regularly had about 94% lower odds of having nerve pain compared to those who rarely ate eggs. Fish showed similar protective effects, with regular fish eaters having about 79% lower odds of nerve pain.

Tomatoes also appeared protective, though the effect was less certain. The mineral selenium, found in foods like Brazil nuts, fish, and poultry, showed a trend toward being protective, though the effect was small. When looking at severity of symptoms, the same patterns held true: refined grains made symptoms worse, while fish, eggs, and poultry made them better.

Additional findings included that poultry consumption showed a trend toward reducing nerve pain severity, and legumes (beans and lentils) appeared to have a strong protective effect on symptom severity, though the number of people eating legumes regularly was small. The study also found meaningful differences in overall eating patterns between people with and without nerve pain, suggesting that diet quality overall may matter, not just individual foods

This is one of the first studies to specifically look at diet and chemotherapy-related nerve pain. Previous research has shown that certain nutrients like B vitamins and antioxidants are important for nerve health, and this study’s findings about fish, eggs, and poultry (which contain these nutrients) align with that earlier research. The finding about refined grains is also consistent with general nutrition science showing that refined carbohydrates can increase inflammation in the body, which may worsen nerve damage

The study was small with only 136 participants, making it harder to be certain about the findings. It was a snapshot in time rather than following people over months or years, so we can’t be sure that diet caused the differences in nerve pain. People’s memories about what they ate might not be perfectly accurate. The study wasn’t originally designed to answer these questions, so it may have missed important factors. Finally, the study included people with different types of cancer and different chemotherapy drugs, which could affect results

The Bottom Line

Based on this early research, cancer survivors experiencing nerve pain may consider: eating fish 2-3 times per week, including eggs in their diet regularly, choosing poultry over red meat, eating tomatoes and tomato products, and replacing refined grains with whole grains. These changes align with general healthy eating advice and may help reduce nerve pain symptoms. However, confidence in these recommendations is moderate because this is early research that needs confirmation in larger studies. Always discuss dietary changes with your oncologist or a registered dietitian before making major changes

This research is most relevant for cancer survivors who experienced chemotherapy with neurotoxic drugs (drugs known to damage nerves) and are dealing with numbness or tingling. It may also be helpful for cancer survivors trying to prevent this side effect. People without nerve pain symptoms may still benefit from these dietary patterns as part of overall healthy eating. This research is less relevant for people who haven’t had chemotherapy or those with nerve pain from other causes

If you make dietary changes based on these findings, you might notice improvements in nerve pain symptoms within 4-8 weeks, though some people may take longer. The study didn’t track how quickly improvements happen, so individual results will vary. Consistency with dietary changes is important—occasional healthy choices are less likely to help than making them part of your regular eating pattern

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track daily servings of fish, eggs, poultry, tomatoes, and refined grains. Use a simple 1-5 scale to rate nerve pain and tingling severity each evening. Record this weekly to see if patterns emerge between your diet and symptoms over 4-8 weeks
  • Set a specific goal like ’eat fish twice this week’ or ‘replace one refined grain with whole grain daily.’ Use the app to plan meals featuring eggs, fish, or poultry, and track when you eat these foods. Create reminders to choose whole grains instead of refined grains at meals
  • Weekly check-ins: rate your nerve pain severity, count servings of protective foods (fish, eggs, poultry, tomatoes), and count servings of refined grains. Look for trends over 4-8 weeks. If symptoms improve, continue the pattern. If no improvement, discuss with your doctor whether other factors might be involved

This research is preliminary and should not replace medical advice from your oncologist or healthcare team. The study was small and exploratory, meaning findings need confirmation in larger studies before strong recommendations can be made. If you’re experiencing nerve pain or tingling after chemotherapy, consult your doctor before making significant dietary changes. Some foods may interact with cancer medications or other treatments. A registered dietitian can help you develop a personalized eating plan based on your specific situation, medical history, and current medications. This information is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.