Marlon L. Wong, P.T., Ph.D., an associate professor of clinical physical therapy at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, has received a three-year, $225,000 grant from Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research. The award will support work aimed at improving day-to-day quality of life for people living with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and other long-term consequences of cancer therapy.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) affects up to half of patients treated with certain chemotherapy agents. Symptoms can include persistent pain, tingling, numbness, and weakness, which may continue even after treatment ends. For many patients, these effects interfere with mobility, daily function, and long-term well-being.

The study will take place at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, where Wong and collaborators are investigating a noninvasive neuromodulation approach. The therapy, transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS), delivers gentle electrical stimulation to the ear to modulate signaling pathways associated with nerve function, inflammation, and regulation of the nervous system.

Participants will undergo a two-week trial featuring daily, self-administered taVNS using a portable device. This design aims to shift management of symptoms from repeated clinic visits to at-home treatment, potentially reducing barriers to care while maintaining consistent exposure to the intervention.

Beyond tracking changes in pain and neuropathy-related symptoms, researchers plan to examine biological and functional responses during therapy. The team will assess inflammation markers, measures of nerve activity, and heart rate variability, using these data to explore how CIPN develops and how individuals may respond differently to taVNS.

A central goal is to identify patient characteristics linked to benefit. By connecting biological signals with neurological outcomes, the researchers hope to clarify who is most likely to respond and why—information that could guide future, more targeted care strategies.

The project also reflects a broader shift toward mechanism-informed symptom management in cancer survivorship. Even after cancer is controlled, neurologic and inflammatory processes may persist, making interventions that are both practical and mechanistically grounded especially important.

Wong emphasizes that the study’s findings could support clearer clinical decision-making by building a more detailed picture of the pathways underlying CIPN and the potential role of auricular vagus nerve stimulation.

#