High prevalence of pain in patients with cancer in a large population-based study in The Netherlands

Stimulator of Interferon Genes Pathway Activation through the Controlled Release of STINGel Mediates Analgesia and Anti-Cancer Effects in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) presents significant treatment challenges due to its poor survival and intense pain at the primary cancer site. Cancer pain is debilitating, contributes to diminished quality of life, and causes opioid tolerance. The stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonism has been investigated as an anti-cancer strategy. We have developed STINGel, an extended-release formulation that prolongs the availability of STING agonists, which has demonstrated an enhanced anti-tumor effect in OSCC compared to STING agonist injection. This study investigates the impact of intra-tumoral STINGel on OSCC-induced pain using two separate OSCC models and nociceptive behavioral assays. Intra-tumoral STINGel significantly reduced mechanical allodynia in the orofacial cancer model and alleviated thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia in the hind paw model. To determine the cellular signaling cascade contributing to the antinociceptive effect, we performed an in-depth analysis of immune cell populations via single-cell RNA-seq. We demonstrated an increase in M1-like macrophages and N1-like neutrophils after STINGel treatment. The identified regulatory pathways controlled immune response activation, myeloid cell differentiation, and cytoplasmic translation. Functional pathway analysis demonstrated the suppression of translation at neuron synapses and the negative regulation of neuron projection development in M2-like macrophages after STINGel treatment. Importantly, STINGel treatment upregulated TGF-β pathway signaling between various cell populations and peripheral nervous system (PNS) macrophages and enhanced TGF-β signaling within the PNS itself. Overall, this study sheds light on the mechanisms underlying STINGel-mediated antinociception and anti-tumorigenic impact.

Effects of exercise on life satisfaction of people diagnosed with cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

A cancer diagnosis is commonly associated with a decline in patient's life satisfaction and more pessimistic expectations about the future. The identification of strategies to improve life satisfaction in patients with cancer is of great interest to health practitioners since it may be associated with a better prognosis of cancer and higher survival rates. Previous meta-analyses and reviews concluded that exercise could significantly improve health-related quality of life in this population, but the effects of exercise on life satisfaction are still not well-known. This review aims to analyse the effects of exercise programs on life satisfaction in people with cancer and individuals who have overcome cancer.

METHODS

The present systematic review and meta-analysis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A thorough search of databases including Web of Science and PubMed/MEDLINE was carried out. Six studies (535 participants) in which the effect of an exercise program was compared to a non-exercise program control condition in patients with cancer were considered eligible. A subsequent meta-analysis was performed using the random effects model to calculate the standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS

Exercise intervention improved satisfaction with life compared with a control condition (SMD = 1.28; p = 0.02 with a 95% CI of 0.22 to 2.34).

CONCLUSION

Exercise could be considered an effective tool to improve life satisfaction in patients with cancer. Hence, professionals might consider the possibility of integrating physical exercise into strategies aimed at enhancing the low life satisfaction often experienced by patients.

PROSPERO

CRD42023438146.

Investigating the risk factors for nonadherence to analgesic medications in cancer patients: Establishing a nomogram model

Objective

The substantial prevalence of nonadherence to analgesic medication among individuals diagnosed with cancer imposes a significant strain on both patients and healthcare resources. The objective of this study is to develop and authenticate a nomogram model for assessing nonadherence to analgesic medication in cancer patients.

Methods

Clinical information, demographic data, and medication adherence records of cancer pain patients were gathered from the Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University between April 2020 and March 2023. The risk factors associated with analgesic medication nonadherence in cancer patients were analyzed using the least absolute selection operator (LASSO) regression model and multivariate logistic regression. Additionally, a nomogram model was developed. The bootstrap method was employed to internally verify the model. Discrimination and accuracy of the nomogram model were evaluated using the Concordance index (C-index), area under the receiver Operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), and calibration curve. The potential clinical value of the nomogram model was established through decision curve analysis (DCA) and clinical impact curve.

Results

The study included a total of 450 patients, with a nonadherence rate of 43.33%. The model incorporated seven factors: age, address, smoking history, number of comorbidities, use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), use of opioids, and PHQ-8. The C-index of the model was found to be 0.93 (95% CI: 0.907-0.953), and the ROC curve demonstrated an AUC of 0.929. Furthermore, the DCA and clinical impact curves indicate that the built model can accurately predict cancer pain patients' medication adherence performance.

Conclusions

A nomogram model based on 7 risk factors has been successfully developed and validated for long-term analgesic management of cancer patients.

Morphological and functional brain changes in chronic cancer-related pain: A systematic review

The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review of the available literature on morphological and functional brain changes measured by modern neuroimaging techniques in patients suffering from chronic cancer-related pain. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science using different keyword combinations. In addition, a hand search was performed on the reference lists and several databases to retrieve supplementary primary studies. Eligible articles were assessed for methodological quality and risk of bias and reviewed by two independent researchers. The search yielded only four studies, three of which used MRI and one PET-CT. None of the studies measured longitudinal morphological (i.e., gray or white matter) changes. All studies investigated functional brain changes and found differences in specific brain regions and networks between patients with chronic cancer-related pain and pain-free cancer patients or healthy volunteers. Some of these alterations were found in brain networks that also show changes in non-cancer populations with chronic pain (e.g., the default mode network and salience network). However, specific findings were inconsistent, and there was substantial variation in imaging methodology, analysis, sample size, and study quality. There is a striking lack of research on morphological brain changes in patients with chronic cancer-related pain. Moreover, only a few studies investigated functional brain changes. In the retrieved studies, there is some evidence that alterations occur in brain networks also involved in other chronic non-cancer pain syndromes. However, the low sample sizes of the studies, finding inconsistencies, and methodological heterogeneity do not allow for robust conclusions.

A Prospective Study to Compare Caregivers' Knowledge and Perception of Cancer Pain with Patients' Pain Assessment and to Evaluate their Quality of Life

Objectives

Family caregivers (FCGs) play a crucial role in the home care of terminally ill patients. Therefore, evaluating their comprehension of patients' symptoms and doctors' advice becomes crucial. Moreover, this might negatively impact their quality of life (QOL). Thus, the purpose of the study was to examine FCGs' perception and understanding of cancer pain in relation to patients' pain assessments, as well as the effect this has on their own QOL.

Materials and Methods

The family pain questionnaire (FPQ) and patient pain questionnaire (PPQ) were used for both patient as well as their FCGs. The scores for each subscale, knowledge, and experience were calculated. Furthermore, FCGs' own QOL was assessed using the caregiver quality of life index-cancer (CQOLC) questionnaire. Results were statistically analysed.

Results

The FCGs of 93 individuals were examined. The Cronbach alphas for the current dataset showed that the FPQ (0.754) and PPQ (0.759) overall reliability scales were satisfactory. The knowledge, experience, and total average scores for the PPQ (FPQ) subscales were reported as 35.91 (35.31), 27.19 (26.86), and 63.10 (62.17), respectively. The knowledge, experience, and overall scales of the PPQ (FPQ) were evaluated to provide median scores of 37 (36), 28 (25), and 65 (62) correspondingly. A t-test was used to determine the significance of the observed average differences (d) for knowledge (0.602), experience (0.333), and overall (0.935). The results showed that there were no significant differences (P > 0.05). An inverse relationship was elicited between the total QOL and the pain assessment scores of FCGs, as well as the age of the patient. The difference was, however, majorly statistically non-significant (P > 0.5). Further, statistical significance was found only between the burden component of the CQOLC and the age of the patients (P = 0.034), as well as total pain knowledge (P = 0.007) and total pain scores (P = 0.001) of the FCGs'.

Conclusion

As per our analysis, FCGs had less knowledge and experience of patients' pain, though statistically , it was not significant. The age of the patient, as well as total pain knowledge and total pain scores of the FCGs' were found to affect the QOL of FCGs'. Studies with large sample sizes might help in strengthening the findings.

A Side-Effect-Free Interventional Therapy for Precisely Eliminating Unresectable Cancer Pain

Of patients bearing unresectable tumors at advanced stages, most undergo serious pain. For unresectable tumors adjacent to vital organs or nerves, eliminating local cancer pain without adverse effects remains a formidable challenge. Interventional ablative therapies (IATs), such as radio frequency ablation (RFA), microwave ablation, and irreversible electroporation, have been clinically adopted to treat various carcinomas. In this study, we established another palliative interventional therapy to eliminate local cancer pain, instead of relieving nociception temporarily. Here, we developed another interventional ablative therapy (termed nanoparticle-mediated microknife ablation) to locoregionally eliminate cancer pain and tumors. The IAT system was composed of self-assembled nanodrugs, infusion catheters, puncture needles, injection pump, and an empirical tumor ablation formula. Notably, the ablation formula established in the IAT system enables us to predict the essential nanoparticle (NP) numbers used for completely destroying tumors. In a mouse model of cancer pain, tumor-targeted nanodrugs made of Paclitaxel and Hematoporphyrin, which have an extremely high drug-loading efficiency (more than 60%), were infused into tumors through injection pumps under imaging guidance. In conclusion, when compared to classic chemotherapeutic agents, IAT showed significantly higher effectiveness in cancer pain removal. It also presented no damage to the nervous, sensory, and motor capabilities of the treated mice. All of these merits resulted from NPs' long-lasting retention, targeted ablation, and confined diffusion in tumor stroma. Therefore, this safe treatment modality has great potential to eradicate local cancer pain in the clinic.

The Impact of Palliative Care on Mitigating Pain and Its Associated Effects in Determining Quality of Life among Colon Cancer Outpatients

Pain continues to be a significant problem for cancer patients, and the impact of a population-based strategy on their experiences is not completely understood. Our study aimed to determine the impact of palliative care on mitigating pain and its associated effects in determining the quality of life (QoL) among colon cancer outpatients. Six collection databases were used to perform a structured systematic review of the available literature, considering all papers published between the year 2000 and February 2023. PRISMA guidelines were adopted in our study, and a total of 9792 papers were evaluated. However, only 126 articles met the inclusion criteria. A precise diagnosis of disruptive colorectal cancer (CRC) pain disorders among patients under palliative care is necessary to mitigate it and its associated effects, enhance health, promote life expectancy, increase therapeutic responsiveness, and decrease comorbidity complications. Physical activities, the use of validated pain assessment tools, remote outpatient education and monitoring, chemotherapeutic pain reduction strategies, music and massage therapies, and bridging social isolation gaps are essential in enhancing QoL. We recommend and place a strong emphasis on the adoption of online training/or coaching programs and the integration of formal and informal palliative care systems for maximum QoL benefits among CRC outpatients.

Effects of the Time of Hospice and Palliative Care Enrollment before Death on Morphine, Length of Stay, and Healthcare Expense in Patients with Cancer in Taiwan

We aimed to investigate the effects of the time from hospice and palliative care enrollment to death on the quality of care and the effectiveness and trend of healthcare utilization in patients with terminal cancer. Data on the cancer-related mortality rates between 2005 and 2018 reported in the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan were obtained. The effect of hospice and palliative care enrollment at different timepoints before death on healthcare utilization was explored. This retrospective cohort study included 605,126 patients diagnosed with terminal cancer between 2005 and 2018; the percentage of patients receiving hospice and palliative care before death increased annually. Terminal cancer patients who enrolled in hospice and palliative care at different timepoints before death received higher total morphine doses; the difference in the total morphine doses between the two groups decreased as the time to death shortened. The difference in the total morphine doses between the groups gradually decreased from 2005 to 2018. The enrolled patients had longer hospital stays; the length of hospital stays for both groups increased as the time to death lengthened, but the difference was not significant. The enrolled patients incurred lower total medical expenses, but the difference between the two groups increased as the time to death shortened.

Predictors and Consequences of Cancer and Non-Cancer-Related Pain in Those Diagnosed with Primary and Metastatic Cancers

OBJECTIVES

The aims of the study were to (1) describe types of pain in cancer patients, (2) examine the predictors and consequences of pain, (3) investigate the association between type of pain and survival, and (4) examine potential biological mediators of pain and survival.

METHODS

This was a secondary analysis of baseline data from patients diagnosed with cancer. Patients answered questionnaires that assessed sociodemographic characteristics, pain, depression, sleep, and fatigue. Blood was collected and cytokine assays were performed. Analysis of variance, Kaplan-Meier, and Cox regression survival analyses were used to test the aims.

RESULTS

Of the 779 patients diagnosed with cancer, the mean age was 63.5 years, 57.8% male, and 90.6% White. Of those who reported pain (total 70.3%), 46.5% stated their pain was cancer-related while 53.5% stated their pain was non-cancer-related. While both cancer and non-cancer-related pain was associated with depressive symptoms, fatigue, and sleep duration, those with cancer-related pain had significantly higher rates of depressive symptoms (F(1,516) = 21.217, p < 0.001) and fatigue (F(1,516) = 30.973, p < 0.001) but not poorer sleep (F(1,497) = 0.597, p = 0.440). After adjusting for sociodemographic, disease-related characteristics, depression, sleep duration, and morphine milligram equivalent, patient reports of cancer-related pain were significantly associated with poorer survival (HR = 0.646, 95% CI = 0.459-0.910, p = 0.012) compared to those with non-cancer-related pain, which was not associated with survival (HR = 1.022, 95% CI = 0.737-1.418, p = 0.896). Cytokines did not significantly mediate the link between pain and survival.

CONCLUSION

While nearly half of the pain reported was cancer-related, both types of pain resulted in greater symptom burden, but only cancer-related pain was associated with survival.

Impact of Opioids on Cellular Metabolism: Implications for Metabolic Pathways Involved in Cancer

Opioid utilization for pain management is prevalent among cancer patients. There is significant evidence describing the many effects of opioids on cancer development. Despite the pivotal role of metabolic reprogramming in facilitating cancer growth and metastasis, the specific impact of opioids on crucial oncogenic metabolic pathways remains inadequately investigated. This review provides an understanding of the current research on opioid-mediated changes to cellular metabolic pathways crucial for oncogenesis, including glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, glutaminolysis, and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). The existing literature suggests that opioids affect energy production pathways via increasing intracellular glucose levels, increasing the production of lactic acid, and reducing ATP levels through impediment of OXPHOS. Opioids modulate pathways involved in redox balance which may allow cancer cells to overcome ROS-mediated apoptotic signaling. The majority of studies have been conducted in healthy tissue with a predominant focus on neuronal cells. To comprehensively understand the impact of opioids on metabolic pathways critical to cancer progression, research must extend beyond healthy tissue and encompass patient-derived cancer tissue, allowing for a better understanding in the context of the metabolic reprogramming already undergone by cancer cells. The current literature is limited by a lack of direct experimentation exploring opioid-induced changes to cancer metabolism as they relate to tumor growth and patient outcome.

Effectiveness of Therapeutic Education in Patients with Cancer Pain: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

(1) Objective: To review the existing evidence on pain education in patients with pain derived from an oncological process. (2) Methods: A systematic review was conducted using the databases Pubmed, Web of Science, PEDro, and Scopus. The selected studies had to incorporate instruction about the neurophysiology of pain into their educational program. The target population was cancer patients who had suffered pain for at least one month. The methodological quality of the articles collected was assessed using the PEDro scale. (3) Results: Some 698 studies were initially identified, of which 12 were included in this review. Four different models of pain education programs were found in the studies' interventions. Pain intensity, pain experience, quality of life, pain tolerance, and catastrophism were the variables that appeared most frequently. (4) Conclusions: This review demonstrates that pain education in patients with cancer pain may produce effects such as decreased pain intensity and catastrophism. Knowledge about pain also seems to increase. However, no benefit was reported for patients' overall quality of life. Therefore, more research is needed to clarify the effects of these interventions on the oncology population.

Online Home-Based Physical Activity Counteracts Changes of Redox-Status Biomarkers and Fitness Profiles during Treatment Programs in Postsurgery Female Breast Cancer Patients

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed types of cancer in women. Oxidative stress may contribute to cancer etiology through several mechanisms. A large body of evidence indicates that physical activity (PA) has positive effects on different aspects of BC evolution, including mitigation of negative effects induced by medical treatment. With the aim to verify the capacity of PA to counteract negative effects of BC treatment on systemic redox homeostasis in postsurgery female BC patients, we have examined the modulation of circulating levels of oxidative stress and inflammation markers. Moreover, we evaluated the impacts on physical fitness and mental well-being by measuring functional parameters, body mass index, body composition, health-related quality of life (QoL), and fatigue. Our investigation revealed that PA was effective in maintaining plasma levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and tGSH, as well as peripheral blood mononuclear cells' (PBMCs) mRNA levels of SOD1 and heat-shock protein 27. Moreover, we found a significant decrease in plasma interleukin-6 (≈0.57 ± 0.23-fold change, p < 0.05) and increases in both interleukin-10 (≈1.15 ± 0.35-fold change, p < 0.05) and PBMCs' mRNA level of SOD2 (≈1.87 ± 0.36-fold change, p < 0.05). Finally, PA improves functional parameters (6 min walking test, ≈+6.50%, p < 0.01; Borg, ≈-58.18%, p < 0.01; sit-and-reach, ≈+250.00%, p < 0.01; scratch right, ≈-24.12%, and left, ≈-18.81%, p < 0.01) and body composition (free fat mass, ≈+2.80%, p < 0.05; fat mass, ≈-6.93%, p < 0.05) as well as the QoL (physical function, ≈+5.78%, p < 0.05) and fatigue (cognitive fatigue, ≈-60%, p < 0.05) parameters. These results suggest that a specific PA program not only is effective in improving functional and anthropometric parameters but may also activate cellular responses through a multitude of actions in postsurgery BC patients undergoing adjuvant therapy. These may include modulation of gene expression and protein activity and impacting several signaling pathways/biological activities involved in tumor-cell growth; metastasis; and inflammation, as well as moderating distress symptoms known to negatively affect QoL.

Clinical effects of hydration, supplementary vitamins, and trace elements during end-of-life care for cancer patients

INTRODUCTION

current data regarding the decision on rehydration of patients with terminal-stage cancer remain controversial.

OBJECTIVE

the present study was to evaluate the effect of intravenous hydration and supplementary vitamins and trace elements on clinical symptoms and biochemical parameters in palliative cancer patients.

METHODS

a randomized clinical trial including 72 palliative cancer patients aged 18 years and older was performed at the National Cancer Institute in Mexico. Patients were divided into two groups: intervention and control, both receiving intravenous saline solution weekly for 4 weeks, but the former was also supplemented with vitamins and trace elements. Symptoms were assessed at baseline and 4 weeks after with the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale. Same measurements applied to biochemical parameters.

RESULTS

the mean age of the patients was 58.75 years. The most frequent cancer diagnoses were gastrointestinal (32 %). In the between-groups analysis significant improvements were found for the intervention group in anorexia (p = 0.024), pain (p = 0.030), chloride (p = 0.043), phosphorus (p = 0.001), potassium (p = 0.006), and total proteins (< 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

we highlight the improvement in the control of most symptoms and some biochemical parameters in the intervention group receiving vitamins and oligoelements along with intravenous hydration. Further studies are needed.

Identifying health outcomes of pharmaceutical clinical services in patients with cancer: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Cancer is a major public health problem that imposes limitations on patients being treated. One of the strategies to improve health outcomes in cancer patients and promote the safety of their treatment is the provision of pharmaceutical clinical services (PCS). However, there is no evidence of health outcomes that are influenced by such services.

OBJECTIVE

Identify the health outcomes influenced by PCS in cancer patients.

METHODS

A systematic review was performed in the following databases: Cochrane Library, LILACS, PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science, and using the PRISMA Statement In addition to the search, we analyzed the references of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The descriptors used were defined by the MeSH keywords "neoplasms," "pharmacists," and "pharmaceutical services". We analyzed the studies with an observational design published until March 2018 that used PCS and related them with the health outcomes. Two reviewers independently assessed titles, abstracts, and full texts according to the eligibility criteria, and then extracted data and assessed the methodological quality of the studies.

RESULTS

A total of 658 articles were found in the initial search, of which eight met the inclusion criteria. Six studies evaluated clinical outcomes: four assessed adverse reactions, one identified six barriers that prevented patients' adherence to medication and solved three of these barriers, and two evaluated PCS related to drug-related problems (DRP) in identification and resolution. Four studies identified a humanistic outcome: two evaluated the quality of life of patients on cancer treatment associated with improvement of symptoms, two investigated pain, and two performed a patient satisfaction survey on PCS. This systematic review identified only one study with an economic outcome, addressing the reduction of medical expenses related to the treatment of neutropenia that affects cancer patients. Most of the studies showed good methodological quality.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review identified health outcomes associated with PCS in cancer patients: clinical (adverse drug reaction, DRP resolution, adherence, and pain), humanistic (quality of life and satisfaction), and economic outcomes (reduction of treatment costs for cancer).

The efficacy of telemedicine for pain management in patients with cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Pain is the most common cancer-related symptom, but it is often undertreated. Telemedicine is widely used in cancer treatment, but its effectiveness is uncertain.

Objective

We aimed to evaluate the impact of telemedicine intervention on pain in patients with cancer.

Design

Methodological quality and risk-of-bias evaluation were conducted, and the sources of heterogeneity were explored through subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis.

Data Sources and Methods

PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and clinical trial databases were searched up to 16 August 2022. Randomized controlled trials of the impact of telemedicine intervention regarding pain in patients with cancer were included, and the results related to pain were extracted.

Results

Twenty-one randomized controlled trials were selected from 1810 articles. A total of 1454 patients received telemedicine interventions, and 2213 received conventional medical services. Telemedical intervention had a positive effect on improving pain intensity [standard mean deviation (SMD) = -0.28, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.49 to -0.06, p = 0.01] and pain interference (SMD = -0.41, 95% CI: -0.54 to -0.28, p < 0.00001), with statistical difference between the two groups. The subgroup analysis results showed that the telemedicine subgroup based on an application (SMD = -0.54, 95% CI: -0.91 to -0.18, p = 0.004) and the subgroup with intervention time ⩾ 6 months (SMD = -0.33, 95% CI: -0.52 to -0.13, p = 0.001), both demonstrated significant improvement regarding pain intensity, with significant statistical difference between the two groups. When the follow-up time was ⩾ 6 months, there was no significant difference (SMD = -0.24, 95% CI: -0.55 to 0.07, p = 0.13).

Conclusion

Compared with conventional medical services, telemedicine intervention can improve the pain of patients with cancer and is effective and acceptable regarding symptom monitoring. Integrating telemedicine interventions into cancer pain management may be a feasible option. But its long-term effects still need to be confirmed with more high-quality randomized controlled trials in the future.

Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/; CRD42022361990.

Mechanisms of cancer pain

Personalised and targeted interventions have revolutionised cancer treatment and dramatically improved survival rates in recent decades. Nonetheless, effective pain management remains a problem for patients diagnosed with cancer, who continue to suffer from the painful side effects of cancer itself, as well as treatments for the disease. This problem of cancer pain will continue to grow with an ageing population and the rapid advent of more effective therapeutics to treat the disease. Current pain management guidelines from the World Health Organisation are generalised for different pain severities, but fail to address the heterogeneity of mechanisms in patients with varying cancer types, stages of disease and treatment plans. Pain is the most common complaint leading to emergency unit visits by patients with cancer and over one-third of patients that have been diagnosed with cancer will experience under-treated pain. This review summarises preclinical models of cancer pain states, with a particular focus on cancer-induced bone pain and chemotherapy-associated pain. We provide an overview of how preclinical models can recapitulate aspects of pain and sensory dysfunction that is observed in patients with persistent cancer-induced bone pain or neuropathic pain following chemotherapy. Peripheral and central nervous system mechanisms of cancer pain are discussed, along with key cellular and molecular mediators that have been highlighted in animal models of cancer pain. These include interactions between neuronal cells, cancer cells and non-neuronal cells in the tumour microenvironment. Therapeutic targets beyond opioid-based management are reviewed for the treatment of cancer pain.

Epidemiology of Pain Among Patients with Solid Metastatic Cancer During the Last Year of Life

Background

Despite medical advancements, pain is a major source of suffering at the end of life for patients with a solid metastatic cancer. We aimed to assess the trajectory of pain prevalence, severity, interference, and inadequacy of analgesia during the last year of life.

Methods

We analysed data from the last year of life of 345 decedents from a prospective cohort study of 600 patients with a solid metastatic cancer in Singapore. Patients were surveyed every 3 months and their pain outcomes (prevalence, severity, and interference) and inadequacy of analgesia were analysed. We used mixed-effects regressions to assess the association of pain outcomes with patients’ time from death, demographics, and planned or unplanned hospitalisations.

Results

Prevalence of pain was higher in the last 2 months (65%) compared to 11 to 12 months (41%) before death. Pain severity and interference scores (mean ± SD) were also higher in the last month (severity: 2.5±2.6; interference: 2.6±3.0) compared to 12 months before death (severity: 1.4±2.0; interference: 1.4±2.0). At any time during the last year of life, 38% of the patients were prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, 11% were prescribed weak-opioids and 29% were prescribed strong opioids. These analgesics were prescribed through either oral, topical or injectable route. Pain outcomes were significantly worse (p-value<0.05) for younger patients, those with higher education, and more financial difficulties, while interference was higher after an unplanned hospitalisation in the last month. Females reported higher pain severity score during their last year of life compared to males. For patients reporting moderate to severe pain, inadequacy of analgesia was lower in the last 2 months (43%) compared to 11 to 12 months before death (83%).

Conclusion

Findings highlight the need for greater attention in monitoring and treatment of pain even earlier in the disease trajectory, and increased attention to patients discharged from an unplanned hospitalisation.

Randomized double-blind controlled trial to assess the efficacy of intravenous acetaminophen associated with strong opioids in the treatment of acute pain in adult cancer patients: study protocol

Background

Cancer pain is one of the most frequent and relevant symptoms in cancer patients and impacts on patient’s quality of life. International and local standards recommend as an initial strategy the use of an analgesic scheme composed of strong opioids associated with adjuvants such as acetaminophen, based upon the assumption that combining drugs could have a better analgesic effect, could allow lowering opioid dosing, and could prevent the occurrence of adverse effects of opioids. However, there is uncertainty about the impact of acetaminophen as an adjuvant in patients who use strong opioids for moderate to severe pain management in cancer patients. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of intravenous acetaminophen associated with strong opioids in hospitalized adult cancer patients who have moderate to severe cancer-related pain.

Methods

We will perform a randomized double-blinded controlled study comparing intravenous acetaminophen 1 g 4 times a day versus placebo for 48 h as an adjuvant to strong opioids. We will assess pain intensity as a primary outcome, using the verbal numerical rating scale (VNRS, I0 to 10 scale with higher scores meaning higher pain intensity), and we will compare the mean difference in pain intensity between baseline and 48 h among the placebo and intervention groups. We estimate that a decrease of 1 point in the VNRS would be clinically significant. Assuming a standard deviation in pain intensity of 1.7 points, an alpha of 0.025, and a power of 0.8, we estimate a sample size of 112 patients, with 56 patients in each arm. Secondary outcomes include the difference in total opioid use between baseline and at 48 h among the groups, and adverse effects such as drowsiness, constipation, nausea, and vomiting would be evaluated.

Discussion

The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design is the best strategy to assess the efficacy of acetaminophen as an adjuvant in adult cancer patients with moderate to severe pain who are receiving strong opioids. We expect to contribute to national and international guidelines with these results.

Trial registration

Clinicaltrials.gov NCT04779567. Registered on March 3, 2021. Retrospectively registered.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13063-022-06442-2.

Effectiveness of gabapentin in reducing opioid requirements after radiation in head and neck cancer in a single institution

BACKGROUND

Gabapentin has been shown to reduce opioid use in head and neck cancer patients. Here, we examine the efficacy of prophylactic gabapentin at reducing opioid use in these patients at our institution.

METHODS

A retrospective study of patients receiving radiation was performed, using patients from our previous study as controls. Risk factors for opioid use at 3 and 6 months were determined using univariate and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS

In total, 53/185 patients were treated with gabapentin, 39.6% of which took opioids at 3 months vs. 58.3% in the non-gabapentin cohort (p = 0.021). Gabapentin was independently associated with less opioid use on multivariate analysis at 3 months (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.24-0.9). Gastrostomy tube dependence and pretreatment opioid use were associated with chronic opioid use despite gabapentin.

CONCLUSIONS

Gabapentin is effective at expediting opioid tapering in head and neck cancer patients who are not gastrostomy tube dependent or taking opioids pretreatment.

Opioid Therapy in Cancer Patients and Survivors at Risk of Addiction, Misuse or Complex Dependency

A clinical conundrum can occur when a patient with active opioid use disorder (OUD) or at elevated risk for the condition presents with cancer and related painful symptoms. Despite earlier beliefs that cancer patients were relatively unaffected by opioid misuse, it appears that cancer patients have similar risks as the general population for OUD but are more likely to need and take opioids. Treating such patients requires an individualized approach, informed consent, and a shared decision-making model. Tools exist to help stratify patients for risk of OUD. While improved clinician education in pain control is needed, patients too need to be better informed about the risks and benefits of opioids. Patients may fear pain more than OUD, but opioids are not always the most effective pain reliever for a given patient and some patients do not tolerate or want to take opioids. The association of OUD with mental health disorders (dual diagnosis) can also complicate delivery of care as patients with mental health issues may be less adherent to treatment and may use opioids for “chemical coping” as much as for pain control.

Framework for opioid stigma in cancer pain

ABSTRACT

Millions of patients with cancer pain are treated with prescription opioids each year. However, efforts to mitigate the ongoing opioid crisis result in unintended consequences with opioid pain management, including opioid stigma. Emerging research indicates that opioid stigma is problematic in patients with cancer, but few studies have examined contributors to and impacts of opioid stigma in this population. To guide future research in this area, we propose a conceptual framework-the opioid stigma framework (OSF)-with which to understand and improve opioid stigma in patients with cancer pain. Development of the OSF was guided by a literature review of stigma in health-related conditions, adaptation of the existing Health Stigma and Discrimination Framework, a topical review of challenges related to opioid cancer pain management, and author expertise in cancer, pain, and opioid prescribing. The proposed OSF highlights 5 domains: (1) contributors to opioid stigma, or factors that increase the likelihood that a patient will experience opioid stigma; (2) intersecting stigmas, or the convergence of multiple stigmatized identities within a patient; (3) stigma manifestations, or the ways opioid stigma is manifested in patients, clinicians, and the community; (4) proximal outcomes, or the immediate consequences of opioid stigma in patients; and (5) long-term impacts in patients. The OSF provides 2 main avenues to facilitate future research: (1) providing a framework to explore the mechanisms that underlie opioid stigma and its impact on cancer pain management and (2) supporting the development of targeted, tailored interventions to eliminate opioid stigma.

A living systematic review to assess the analgesic undertreatment in cancer patients

This living, systematic review aims to provide an updated summary of the available evidence on pain undertreatment prevalence in patients with cancer; correlations with some potential determinants and confounders were also carried out. We updated a systematic review published in 2014, including observational and experimental studies reporting the use of the pain management index (PMI) in adults with cancer and pain, from 2014 to 2020. We conducted searches in PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and Google Scholar. We performed univariate and multivariable regression analyses to describe the relationship between PMI and a list of potential explanatory variables. Twenty new papers were identified, yielding a total sample size of 66 studies. The proportion of patients classified as undertreated according to the year of study publication shows a higher decrease from 1994 to 2013 (-13% as relative change) than the most recent years 2014-2020 (-11%). The quality of the included studies has increased over the years (from 80% to 93%). At the multivariable analysis, a statistically significant relationship was confirmed between undertreatment and the year of the publication of the study and with a low-medium economic level of the countries where the studies were conducted. Despite the improvement when compared to the period 1994-2000,-still about 40% of the cases identified received an analgesic treatment inadequate to the intensity of pain, according to the PMI. Despite its intrinsic limitations, PMI continues to be widely used and it could allow a continuous monitoring of pain management across a different mix of studies and patients.

Prevalence and associated factors of cancer pain among adult cancer patients evaluated at an oncology unit in the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, northwest Ethiopia

Introduction

Globally, cancer is the second leading cause of death and was responsible for 9.6 million deaths in 2018. Worldwide, 2 million people experience pain every day, and cancer pain is one of the major neglected public health problems, especially in Ethiopia. Despite reporting the burden and risk factors of cancer pain as a principal importance, there are limited studies. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of cancer pain and its associated factors among adult patients evaluated at the oncology ward in the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, northwest Ethiopia.

Methods

An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 1 January to 31 March 2021. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select the total sample size of 384 patients. Data were collected using pretested and structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were fitted to identify the factors associated with cancer pain among patients with cancer. An adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% CI was computed to determine the level of significance.

Results

A total of 384 study participants were involved, with a response rate of 97.5%. The proportion of cancer pain was found to be 59.9% (95% CI 54.8-64.8). The odds of cancer pain were escalated by anxiety (AOR = 2.52, 95% CI 1.02-6.19), patients with hematological cancer (AOR = 4.68, 95% CI 1.30-16.74), gastrointestinal cancer (AOR = 5.15, 95% CI 1.45-18.2), and stages III and IV (AOR = 14.3, 95% CI 3.20-63.7).

Conclusion

The prevalence of cancer pain among adult patients with cancer in northwest Ethiopia is relatively high. Variables such as anxiety, types of cancer, and stage of cancer had a statistically significant association with cancer pain. Hence, to advance the management of pain, it is better to create more awareness regarding cancer-related pain and provide palliative care early on in the diagnosis of the disease.

Leveraging mobile health technology and research methodology to optimize patient education and self-management support for advanced cancer pain

PURPOSE

Patient education is critical for management of advanced cancer pain, yet the benefits of psychoeducational interventions have been modest. We used mobile health (mHealth) technology to better meet patients' needs.

METHODS

Using the Agile and mHealth Development and Evaluation Frameworks, a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, researchers, patients, and design specialists followed a four-phase iterative process to develop comprehensive, tailored, multimedia cancer pain education for a patient-facing smartphone application. The target population reviewed the content and provided feedback.

RESULTS

The resulting application provides comprehensive cancer pain education spanning pharmacologic and behavioral aspects of self-management. Custom graphics, animated videos, quizzes, and audio-recorded relaxations complemented written content. Computable algorithms based upon daily symptom surveys were used to deliver brief, tailored motivational messages that linked to more comprehensive teaching. Patients found the combination of pharmacologic and behavioral support to be engaging and helpful.

CONCLUSION

Digital technology can be used to provide cancer pain education that is engaging and tailored to individual needs. A replicable interdisciplinary and patient-centered approach to intervention development was advantageous. mHealth interventions may be a scalable approach to improve cancer pain. Frameworks that merge software and research methodology can be useful in developing interventions.

Sleep medication use and risk of fractures in breast cancer survivors

Purpose

Sleep problems are more common in breast cancer survivors than those without a cancer history. Our goal was to examine the risk of fractures among breast cancers survivors who used prescription sleep aids.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 21,346 adult women diagnosed with stage 0–III breast cancer between 2009 and 2016 and followed them through 2017. We examined person-year rates of fractures by sleep medication use and calculated adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) with Cox proportional hazards models using time-dependent variables for sleep medications and covariate medications (antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, and bisphosphonates) adjusted for demographics, comorbidities, and tumor characteristics and cancer treatments.

Results

The sleep medication use was common (40%) in breast cancer survivors and was associated with a 33% increased risk of fractures (adjusted HR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.20–1.49). Further, in a sensitivity analysis based on new use of sleep medication, the fracture risk was even stronger (adjusted HR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.26–1.64).

Conclusion

Given the high use of sleep medications and the high risk of fractures in breast cancer survivors, this study suggests that non-pharmacologic management of sleep problems might be considered as alternative therapy.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10549-021-06392-4.

Prevalence and Severity of Pain in Cancer Patients in Germany

Pain is a common symptom in cancer patients, restricts daily life activities and reduces survival time. Identification of sociodemographic, medical and psychological correlates of pain among cancer patients in Germany could help identify subgroups most in need of pain management. In this multicenter, epidemiologic cross-sectional study, we assessed pain prevalence and severity, quality of life (QoL) and psychological distress in a sample of 3,745 cancer patients across all tumor entities. In total, 37.9% patients suffered from cancer-related pain and 56.1% suffered from non-specific pain. Younger, female, less educated and unemployed patients reported pain more frequently and more severe pain (p < 0.001). Pain was associated with distress, depression, anxiety, QoL, tumor stage (p < 0.001), and time since diagnosis (p = 0.012). Pain assessment and pain management should be a routine part of cancer treatment and cancer survivorship care plans.

Cancer Pain Management-A European Perspective

Cancer pain management is a major challenge in both Europe and the United States. Recent studies show that the incidence of cancer pain remains high and even increases at an advanced stage of the disease.

Hospital Admissions Associated With Cancer Pain in Older Adults With and Without Dementia

BACKGROUND

Neoplasm-related pain is often suboptimally treated, contributing to avoidable suffering and increased medical resource use and costs. We hypothesized that dementia may contribute to increased resource use and costs in patients hospitalized for neoplasm-related pain in the United States.

AIMS

To examine how persons with cancer and dementia use medical resources and expenditures in US hospitals compared to ondividuals without dementia.

DESIGN

This study examined a retrospective cohort.

SETTING

Admissions to US hospitals for neoplasm-related pain from 2012-2016 PARTICIPANTS/SUBJECTS: METHODS: Data were obtained from the 2012-2016 National Inpatient Sample (NIS). The sample included hospital admissions of individuals aged 60 or older with a primary diagnosis of neoplasm-related pain. Dementia was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM), and ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes. Primary outcomes were number of admissions, costs, and length of stay (LOS). Descriptive statistics and multivariable regression models were used to examine the relationships among dementia, costs, and LOS.

RESULTS

Of 12,034 admissions for neoplasm-related pain, 136 (1.1%) included a diagnosis of dementia and 11,898 (98.9%) did not. Constipation was present in 13.2% and 24.5% of dementia and nondementia admissions, respectively. The median LOS was 4 days in persons with dementia and three in those without. Mean costs per admission were higher in persons without dementia ($10,736 vs. $9,022, p = .0304). In adjusted regression results, increased costs were associated with nonelective admissions and longer LOS, and decreased costs with age above the mean. In contrast, decreased LOS was associated with age above the mean and nonelective admissions. Dementia was associated with neither endpoint.

CONCLUSION

This study provides nurses and other health care professionals with data to further explore opportunities for improvement in cancer pain management in patients with and without dementia that may optimize use of medical resources.

Chinese Version of the Psychological Inflexibility in Pain Scale for Cancer Patients Reporting Chronic Pain

Background

Cancer-related chronic pain is reported by many patients during treatment. There are very few Chinese tools for measuring psychological inflexibility caused by cancer pain, particularly with regard to psychological processes that might influence pain severity and function disorder during cancer treatment.

Objective

To culturally adapt the Psychological Inflexibility in Pain Scale (PIPS) to Chinese cancer patients experiencing chronic pain, including the determination of psychometric properties of the translated PIPS.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 2 phases: (1) translation and cultural adaptation and (2) determination of psychometric properties of the translated PIPS. In total, 389 cancer patients with several types of cancer experiencing chronic pain enrolled from May to September 2018 at a tertiary cancer hospital in Yuelu District of Hunan Province, China.

Results

The Chinese PIPS version was semantically equivalent to the original. It had a 2-factor structure with satisfactory content validity (content validity index = 0.78–1.00), convergent and discriminant validity (composite reliability and average variance extracted at 0.41–0.89, P < .001), criterion-related validity (r = 0.54 and 0.41, P < .001), Cronbach’s α coefficients (α = .87), and test-retest reliability (0.9 ≤ r ≤ 0.98).

Conclusions

The Chinese PIPS version has been culturally adapted and has strong psychometric properties. The scale is a psychometrically sound assessment of psychological inflexibility that can be used for future studies of pain and pain management for cancer patients.

Implications for Practice

The study provides a vital tool for the psychological management of cancer patients with chronic pain.

Opioid epidemic and prescribing in hospice and palliative care: a review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Rising rates of opioid abuse worldwide have led to the implementation of policies to curb opioid prescribing. It is unknown what impact these policies have on prescribing within the setting of hospice and palliative care.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the current state of the science of opioid prescribing in hospice and palliative care in relation to the opioid epidemic and associated policies.

METHODS

A systematic integrative literature review was conducted using the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PubMed, ProQuest Central and SCOPUS.

RESULTS

Most of the existing literature examines physician perspectives related to opioid prescribing in primary care settings. Ample evidence exists that policies can and do affect rates of opioid prescribing in specialties outside of hospice and palliative care. There is limited evidence to suggest how these policies affect opioid prescribing in hospice and palliative care. However, the available evidence suggests that opioids are necessary in hospice and palliative care in order to manage pain.

CONCLUSION

Further research is necessary to examine the possible negative impact of the opioid epidemic on opioid prescribing in hospice and palliative care.

Predicting Persistent Opioid Use, Abuse, and Toxicity Among Cancer Survivors

BACKGROUND

Although opioids play a critical role in the management of cancer pain, the ongoing opioid epidemic has raised concerns regarding their persistent use and abuse. We lack data-driven tools in oncology to understand the risk of adverse opioid-related outcomes. This project seeks to identify clinical risk factors and create a risk score to help identify patients at risk of persistent opioid use and abuse.

METHODS

Within a cohort of 106 732 military veteran cancer survivors diagnosed between 2000 and 2015, we determined rates of persistent posttreatment opioid use, diagnoses of opioid abuse or dependence, and admissions for opioid toxicity. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify patient, cancer, and treatment risk factors associated with adverse opioid-related outcomes. Predictive risk models were developed and validated using a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression technique.

RESULTS

The rate of persistent opioid use in cancer survivors was 8.3% (95% CI = 8.1% to 8.4%); the rate of opioid abuse or dependence was 2.9% (95% CI = 2.8% to 3.0%); and the rate of opioid-related admissions was 2.1% (95% CI = 2.0% to 2.2%). On multivariable analysis, several patient, demographic, and cancer and treatment factors were associated with risk of persistent opioid use. Predictive models showed a high level of discrimination when identifying individuals at risk of adverse opioid-related outcomes including persistent opioid use (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.85), future diagnoses of opioid abuse or dependence (AUC = 0.87), and admission for opioid abuse or toxicity (AUC = 0.78).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates the potential to predict adverse opioid-related outcomes among cancer survivors. With further validation, personalized risk-stratification approaches could guide management when prescribing opioids in cancer patients.

Big Data and Chronic Pain: A New Era for Neuromodulation?

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The yield and usefulness of PAIN+ and PubMed databases for accessing research evidence on pain management: a randomized crossover trial

Introduction

PAIN⁺ and PubMed are two electronic databases with two different mechanisms of evidence retrieval. PubMed is used to “Pull” evidence where clinicians can enter search terms to find answers while PAIN⁺ is a newly developed evidence repository where along with “Pull” service there is a “Push” service that alerts users about new research and the associated quality ratings, based on the individual preferences for content and altering criteria.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the study was to compare yield and usefulness of PubMed and PAIN⁺ in retrieving evidence to address clinical research questions on pain management. The secondary purpose of the study was to identify what search terms and methods were used by clinicians to target pain research.

Study design

Two-phase double blinded randomized crossover trial.

Methods

Clinicians (n = 76) who were exposed to PAIN⁺ for at least 1 year took part in this study. Participants were required to search for evidence 2 clinical question scenarios independently. The first clinical question was provided to all participants and thus, was multi-disciplinary. Participants were randomly assigned to search for evidence on their clinical question using either PAIN⁺ or PubMed through the electronic interface. Upon completion of the search with one search engine, they were crossed over to the other search engine. A similar process was done for a second scenario that was discipline-specific. The yield was calculated using number of retrieved articles presented to participants and usefulness was evaluated using a series of Likert scale questions embedded in the testing.

Results

Multidisciplinary scenario: Overall, the participants had an overall one-page yield of 715 articles for PAIN⁺ and 1135 articles for PubMed. The topmost article retrieved by PAIN⁺ was rated as more useful (p = 0.001). While, the topmost article retrieved by PubMed was rated as consistent with current clinical practice (p = 0.02). PubMed (48%) was preferred over PAIN⁺ (39%) to perform multidisciplinary search (p = 0.02).

Discipline specific scenario: The participants had an overall one-page yield of 1046 articles for PAIN⁺ and 1398 articles for PubMed. The topmost article retrieved by PAIN⁺ was rated as more useful (p = 0.001) and consistent with current clinical practice (p = 0.02) than the articles retrieved by PubMed. PAIN⁺ (52%) was preferred over PubMed (29%) to perform discipline specific search.

Conclusion

Clinicians from different disciplines find both PAIN⁺ and PubMed useful for retrieving research studies to address clinical questions about pain management. Greater preferences and perceived usefulness of the top 3 retrieved papers was observed for PAIN⁺, but other dimensions of usefulness did not consistently favor either search engine.

Trial registration

Registered with ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01348802, Date: May 5, 2011.

Practices and Hindrances in Cancer Pain Management: Results of a National Multi-Cancer Center Survey Among Healthcare Professionals in China

Background

Inadequate control of cancer-related pain in China is an ongoing problem. This study investigated the practices of cancer pain (CP) management at major cancer centers in China and perceived hindrances and knowledge of CP management among health professionals.

Methods

From September to October 2019, a survey was conducted using electronic questionnaires via the internet to investigate the practices, and perceived hindrances and knowledge in managing CP among healthcare professionals from 7 provincial cancer centers in China. The questionnaire included demographic data, the professionals' practices among their own patients, their opinions regarding hindrances to CP management, and knowledge of CP management.

Results

We gathered validated responses from 411 anonymous healthcare professionals, with 82.2% (411/500) of response rate. Based on the analysis of these 411 questionnaires, the results demonstrated that CP was prevalent among patients with cancer, while moderate-to-severe pain took a great proportion. CP management was inadequate for a significant proportion of the patients with CP. Pain assessment, analgesic treatment, attention to adverse effects of analgesic, and multidisciplinary management were usually ineffectual in many cases. The duration of work experience did not significantly affect CP management. The respondents considered that both patients and healthcare professionals were responsible for the undermanagement of CP. Only 26 (6.3%) respondents were able to answer correctly all 10 of the professional questions regarding CP.

Conclusion

CP is commonly undermanaged in China. Effective pain control requires the implementation of standards, and the sufficient attention and training of healthcare professionals.

Pain Standards for Accredited Healthcare Organizations (ACDON Project): A Mixed Methods Study

Up to 50% of cancer patients and up to 90% of those in terminal stages experience pain associated with disease progression, poor quality of life, and social impact on caregivers. This study aimed to establish standards for the accreditation of oncological pain management in healthcare organizations. A mixed methods approach was used. First, a pragmatic literature review was conducted. Second, consensus between professionals and patients was reached using the Nominal Group and Delphi technique in a step that involved anesthesiologists, oncologists, family physicians, nurses, psychologists, patient representatives, and caregivers. Third, eight hospitals participated in a pilot assessment of the level of fulfillment of each standard. A total of 37 standards were extracted. The Nominal Group produced additional standards, of which 60 were included in Questionnaire 0 that was used in the Delphi Technique. Two Delphi voting rounds were performed to reach a high level of consensus, and involved 64 and 62 participants with response rates of 90% and 87%, respectively. Finally, 39 standards for the management of cancer pain were agreed upon. In the self-evaluation, the average range of compliance was between 56.4% and 100%. The consensus standards of the ACDON Project might improve the monitoring of cancer pain management. These standards satisfied the demands of professionals and patients and could be used for the accreditation of approaches in cancer pain management.

Subanesthetic ketamine in the ambulatory setting for refractory cancer pain: a 6-year retrospective at a cancer center

Pain is common in advanced cancer is often refractory to standard treatment. Ketamine has shown promise as an effective adjuvant despite conflicting reports. The aim of this retrospective was to analyze the efficacy of subanesthetic ketamine infusion in the ambulatory setting over an extended follow-up period of 3 months for symptoms related to refractory cancer pain. Forty seven patients treated with intravenous ketamine infusion for refractory cancer pain at a tertiary referral cancer center. Patients demonstrated improvement from baseline in worst, mean, current and least pain immediately after treatment (p < 0.05), worst pain 1 month after treatment (p = 0.003), and current pain (p = 0.036) and worst pain (p = 0.002) 3 months after treatment. Symptoms of quality of life were followed 1 month after treatment.

Validation of an oncology-specific opioid risk calculator in cancer survivors

BACKGROUND

Clinical guidelines recommend that providers risk-stratify patients with cancer before prescribing opioids. Prior research has demonstrated that a simple cancer opioid risk score might help identify to patients with cancer at the time of diagnosis with a high likelihood of long-term posttreatment opioid use. This current project validates this cancer opioid risk score in a generalizable, population-based cohort of elderly cancer survivors.

METHODS

This study identified 44,932 Medicare beneficiaries with cancer who had received local therapy. Longitudinal opioid use was ascertained from Medicare Part D data. A risk score was calculated for each patient, and patients were categorized into low-, moderate-, and high-risk groups on the basis of the predicted probability of persistent opioid use. Model discrimination was assessed with receiver operating characteristic curves.

RESULTS

In the study cohort, 5.2% of the patients were chronic opioid users 1 to 2 years after the initiation of cancer treatment. The majority of the patients (64%) were at low risk and had a 1.2% probability of long-term opioid use. Moderate-risk patients (33% of the cohort) had a 5.6% probability of long-term opioid use. High-risk patients (3.5% of the cohort) had a 75% probability of long-term opioid use. The opioid risk score had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.869.

CONCLUSIONS

This study found that a cancer opioid risk score could accurately identify individuals with a high likelihood of long-term opioid use in a large, generalizable cohort of cancer survivors. Future research should focus on the implementation of these scores into clinical practice and how this could affect prescriber behavior and patient outcomes.

LAY SUMMARY

A novel 5-question clinical decision tool allows physicians treating patients with cancer to accurately predict which patients will persistently be using opioid medications after completing therapy.

Targeting the endothelin axis as a therapeutic strategy for oral cancer metastasis and pain

Metastasis reduces survival in oral cancer patients and pain is their greatest complaint. We have shown previously that oral cancer metastasis and pain are controlled by the endothelin axis, which is a pathway comprised of the endothelin A and B receptors (ET_AR and ET_BR). In this study we focus on individual genes of the pathway, demonstrating that the endothelin axis genes are methylated and dysregulated in cancer tissue. Based on these findings in patients, we hypothesize that ET_AR and ET_BR play dichotomous roles in oral carcinogenesis and pain, such that ET_AR activation and silenced ET_BR expression result in increased carcinogenesis and pain. We test a treatment strategy that targets the dichotomous functions of the two receptors by inhibiting ET_AR with macitentan, an ET_AR antagonist approved for treatment of pulmonary hypertension, and re-expressing the ET_BR gene with adenovirus transduction, and determine the treatment effect on cancer invasion (i.e., metastasis), proliferation and pain in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrate that combination treatment of macitentan and ET_BR gene therapy inhibits invasion, but not proliferation, in cell culture and in a mouse model of tongue cancer. Furthermore, the treatment combination produces an antinociceptive effect through inhibition of endothelin-1 mediated neuronal activation, revealing the analgesic potential of macitentan. Our treatment approach targets a pathway shown to be dysregulated in oral cancer patients, using gene therapy and repurposing an available drug to effectively treat both oral cancer metastasis and pain in a preclinical model.

Effects of Good Pain Management (GPM) ward program on patterns of care and pain control in patients with cancer pain in Taiwan

Background

The undertreatment of cancer pain is a global issue although many international guidelines and various studies bloom to explore the approaches in pain management. However, there is no standard care for cancer pain in routine practices. To set up a standardized procedure for improving cancer pain management in Taiwan, the Good Pain Management (GPM) program is explored to provide treatments following the US National Cancer Care Network (NCCN) Adult Cancer Pain Guideline.

Method

Patients diagnosed with moderate-to-severe cancer pain were eligible and randomized into the GPM or control arm and observed the first 48 h to evaluate the effects of pain management between 2 arms. Pain control, adequacy of treatments, patient satisfaction, and quality of life (QoL) of eligible patients were analyzed. Ad hoc analyses based on the pain medication category were also conducted.

Result

Fifty-one patients were enrolled, with 26 and 25 assigned to the GPM and control arms, respectively. Significant differences among the GPM and control arms were found including a greater decrease in the mean numerical rating scale (NRS) score in the GPM arm (− 4.6 vs. − 2.8), a lower proportion of moderate-to-severe pain in the GPM arm (23.2% vs. 39.8%), and a higher pain management index (PMI) score in the GPM arm (0.64 points vs. 0.33 points) (all p < 0.05). Ad hoc analyses revealed that the patient subgroups using strong opioids showed better patient satisfaction in GPM arm when compared with the same subgroup in the control arm.

Conclusion

In summary, our study demonstrated that the implementation of a standardized pain assessment and management approach (GPM ward program) showed significant improvements on pain relief, decreased the portion of moderate-to-severe cancer pain, and increased patient satisfaction in the 1st 48 h after admission. The implementation of the GPM approach in the cancer ward may provide sooner and better improvement of cancer pain management for patients who suffered moderate-to-severe cancer pain.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT03155516)

E-Learning course for nurses on pain assessment in patients unable to self-report

Public hospitals in Catalonia, Spain, have recommended assessing pain in non-communicative inpatients by means of the Spanish version of the Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia scale (PAINAD-Sp) since 2010; a modification for patients with neurologic disorders and cancer, PAINAD-Sp_Hosp, has also been validated. However, nurses are not routinely trained in the use of the scales. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge on pain assessment in nurses following an online training course. We surveyed participants prior to the course to determine baseline knowledge of pain and pain assessment. Course material included conceptual content on pain and practical videos demonstrating the scoring system for the PAINAD-Sp_Hosp scale. After completing the course, participants took a multiple choice quiz to test understanding of course content and a satisfaction survey to determine acceptability. Of the 836 nurses invited, 401 participated in the training course; 37.7% reported having no previous specific training on pain, and just 32.2% used the PAINAD-Sp scale regularly. Following the course, virtually all (99%) of the participants passed the quiz. Overall satisfaction among nurses with regard to the training received was 8.6/10. Thus, the e-learning course was effective and acceptable for training nurses on pain assessment using validated tools.

Acupuncture for Cancer Related Pain: Protocol for a Pragmatic Randomised Wait-List Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Acupuncture has been proved effective for cancer related pain (CRP) in China, America and some other countries. However, there is relative lack of evidence to support the use of acupuncture for CRP in Australia.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for management of CRP in a real-world setting and to understand cancer patients' experience of undergoing acupuncture for CRP.

METHODS

A pragmatic randomised controlled trial will be conducted in South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD) in NSW, Australia. Adults with cancer related pain (n = 106) will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio to receive the acupuncture intervention up front versus after a wait list period of 4 weeks. Pain level (by Numerical Rating Scale), analgesic use, auricular acupressure frequency and adverse events will be assessed at baseline, mid-treatment and post-treatment. Expectancy on trial outcome (by Credibility and Expectancy questionnaire) will be assessed at baseline. The perspective of the participants (by an interview) will be recorded after the last intervention.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

We hypothesise that acupuncture will relieve cancer related pain at mid-treatment and post-treatment. We also hypothesise that few adverse events will be provoked by acupuncture.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Australia New-Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (ACTRN12620000325909).

Assessment of Factors Predicting Inadequate Pain Management in Chronic Pain Patients

Background

Inadequate pain management is highly prevalent and is associated with significant costs and socioeconomic problems, which can lead to disparities in patient care. Specific groups are at higher risk of this problem. A few studies have evaluated the predictive risk factors of inadequate pain management.

Objectives

This study evaluated the prevalence and predictive risk factors of inadequate pain management at the primary and secondary care centers with large sample size.

Methods

Patients who had been managed in primary and secondary care clinics were asked to report their personal characteristics, pain intensity, pain duration, and analgesics they were receiving in their first visit at our pain clinic. Zelman pain management index was calculated for each patient by analgesic potency minus mean pain intensity. The negative index showed incongruence between pain intensity and analgesic potency score (pain stronger than medication), indicating inadequate pain management.

Results

A negative pain management index was reported in 77% of the 511 recruited patients. Patients with more severe pain were more likely to experience inadequate pain management. A logistic model demonstrated women, people aged 45 - 65 years, illiterates, and obese patients were at higher risks of inadequate pain management. The pain management index was affected by sex and education (via higher pain intensities) and by age and BMI (via lower analgesic potency).

Conclusions

Age, sex, education, and BMI are predictive risk factors of inadequate pain management as a prevalent problem in chronic pain patients.

Pain Severity and Adequacy of Pain Management in Terminally Ill Patients with Cancer: An Experience from North Palestine

Aim:

Chronic pain is common in terminally ill patients with cancer and affects their quality of life. In this study, we wanted to evaluate pain severity and the adequacy of prescribed analgesics in terminally ill patients with cancer in North Palestine.

Methods:

We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study in North Palestine on 77 terminally ill patients with cancer. Pain experience was evaluated with Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF). Pain management index (PMI) was calculated to determine the adequacy of interventions. The relationships between adequacy of pain management and socioeconomic and clinical factors were analyzed by the covariance method. Statistical analyses were performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 15.0 [SPSS Inc., Chicago, USA]).

Results:

Fifty-nine patients (76.6%) reported moderate-to-severe pain. According to the PMI, only 64.9% of the patients received adequate pain management. Thirty-five patients (45%) wanted additional treatment or an increase in the dose of pain medications. Although men and women reported similar pain severities, women were more likely to be inadequately treated (P = 0.027). Pain severity was significantly less in patients who received health-care services at least once in the last month before the interview, compared to those without recent access to health care (P = 0.024).

Conclusion:

There is substantial inadequacy in pain management in patients with cancer. The BPI-SF should be routinely used to evaluate pain severity, and analgesics should be prescribed equitably without discrimination with regard to gender and socioeconomic status of patients.

Population-based study of the prevalence and management of self-reported high pain scores in patients with non-resected pancreatic adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Pain is a common debilitating symptom in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. This cohort study examined the use of, and factors associated with, pain-directed interventions for a high pain score in patients with non-curable pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

METHODS

Administrative databases were linked and patients with non-resected pancreatic adenocarcinoma diagnosed between 2010 and 2016, who reported one or more Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) score, were identified. A high pain score was defined as an ESAS score of at least 4. Outcomes were pain-directed interventions: opiates (in patients aged 65 years or more with universal drug coverage), nerve block and radiation therapy for a high pain score. Reduction in pain score of at least 1 point after pain-directed intervention was also evaluated. Modified Poisson regression was used to examine factors associated with pain-directed intervention.

RESULTS

Among 2623 patients with a median age of 67 years, 1223 (46·6 per cent) were women, and 1621 (61·8 per cent) reported a high pain score at a median of 38 days after diagnosis. Of those with a high pain score, 75·6 per cent (688 of 910) received opiates, 13·5 per cent (219 of 1621) radiation and 1·2 per cent (19 of 1621) nerve block. The pain score decreased in 62·1 per cent of patients after administration of opiates, 73·4 per cent after radiation and all patients after nerve block. In multivariable analysis, no patient factor (age, sex, co-morbidity burden, rurality, income quintile) was associated with receipt of non-opiate pain-directed intervention for a high pain score. In patients aged at least 65 years, advanced age was associated with lower odds of opiate use.

CONCLUSION

Opiates are the most common pain-directed intervention for non-curable pancreatic adenocarcinoma, whereas radiation therapy and nerve blocks are seldom used. The lack of association between pain-directed interventions and patient factors points toward practice-driven patterns.