Evaluation and assessment of cancer pain and cancer pain treatment

The Nociceptive and Inflammatory Responses Induced by the Ehrlich Solid Tumor Are Changed in Mice Healed of Plasmodium berghei Strain ANKA Infection after Chloroquine Treatment

Comorbidities that involve infectious and noninfectious diseases, such as malaria and cancer, have been described. Cancer and malaria induce changes in the nociceptive and inflammatory responses through similar pathophysiological mechanisms. However, it is unclear whether malaria and antimalarial treatment can change the inflammatory and nociceptive responses induced by solid cancer. Therefore, the present study experimentally evaluated the effect of infection by Plasmodium berghei strain ANKA and chloroquine treatment on the nociceptive and inflammatory responses induced by the solid Ehrlich tumor in male BALB/c mice. On the 1st experimental day, mice were infected with Plasmodium berghei and injected with tumor cells in the left hind paw. From the 7th to the 9th experimental day, mice were treated daily with chloroquine. The parasitemia was evaluated on the 7th and 10th days after infection. On the 11th experimental day, mice were evaluated on the von Frey filament test, the hot plate test, and the paw volume test. At the end of the experimental tests on the 11th day, the peripheral blood of all mice was collected for dosing of IL-1β and TNF-α. The blood parasitemia significantly increased from the 7th to the 10th day. The chloroquine treatment significantly decreased the parasitemia on the 10th day. The presence of the tumor did not significantly change the parasitemia on the 7th and 10th days in mice treated and nontreated with chloroquine. On the 11th day, the mechanical and thermal nociceptive responses significantly increased in mice with tumors. The treatment with antimalarial significantly reduced the mechanical nociceptive response induced by tumors. The hyperalgesia induced by tumors did not change with malaria. The mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia induced by the tumor was significantly reduced in mice treated and healed from malaria. On the 11th day, the volume of the paw injected by the tumor was significantly increased. The mice treated with chloroquine, infected with malaria, or healed of malaria showed reduced paw edema induced by the tumor. Mice with tumors did not show a change in IL-β and TNF-α serum levels. Mice with tumors showed a significant increase in serum levels of IL-1β but not TNF-α when treated with chloroquine, infected with malaria, or healed of malaria. In conclusion, the results show that malaria infection and chloroquine treatment can influence, in synergic form, the nociceptive and inflammatory responses induced by the solid tumor. Moreover, the mechanical antinociception, the thermal hyperalgesia, and the antiedema effect observed in mice treated with chloroquine and healed from malaria can be related to the increase in the serum level of IL-1β.

Classical cannabinoid receptors as target in cancer-induced bone pain: a systematic review, meta-analysis and bioinformatics validation

To test the hypothesis that genetic and pharmacological modulation of the classical cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) and 2 (CB2) receptors attenuate cancer-induced bone pain, we searched Medline, Web of Science and Scopus for relevant skeletal and non-skeletal cancer studies from inception to July 28, 2022. We identified 29 animal and 35 human studies. In mice, a meta-analysis of pooled studies showed that treatment of osteolysis-bearing males with the endocannabinoids AEA and 2-AG (mean difference [MD] - 24.83, 95% confidence interval [95%CI] - 34.89, - 14.76, p < 0.00001) or the synthetic cannabinoid (CB) agonists ACPA, WIN55,212-2, CP55,940 (CB1/2-non-selective) and AM1241 (CB2-selective) (MD - 28.73, 95%CI - 45.43, - 12.02, p = 0.0008) are associated with significant reduction in paw withdrawal frequency. Consistently, the synthetic agonists AM1241 and JWH015 (CB2-selective) increased paw withdrawal threshold (MD 0.89, 95%CI 0.79, 0.99, p < 0.00001), and ACEA (CB1-selective), AM1241 and JWH015 (CB2-selective) reduced spontaneous flinches (MD - 4.85, 95%CI - 6.74, - 2.96, p < 0. 00001) in osteolysis-bearing male mice. In rats, significant increase in paw withdrawal threshold is associated with the administration of ACEA and WIN55,212-2 (CB1/2-non-selective), JWH015 and AM1241 (CB2-selective) in osteolysis-bearing females (MD 8.18, 95%CI 6.14, 10.21, p < 0.00001), and treatment with AM1241 (CB2-selective) increased paw withdrawal thermal latency in males (mean difference [MD]: 3.94, 95%CI 2.13, 5.75, p < 0.0001), confirming the analgesic capabilities of CB1/2 ligands in rodents. In human, treatment of cancer patients with medical cannabis (standardized MD - 0.19, 95%CI - 0.35, - 0.02, p = 0.03) and the plant-derived delta-9-THC (20 mg) (MD 3.29, CI 2.24, 4.33, p < 0.00001) or its synthetic derivative NIB (4 mg) (MD 2.55, 95%CI 1.58, 3.51, p < 0.00001) are associated with reduction in pain intensity. Bioinformatics validation of KEGG, GO and MPO pathway, function and process enrichment analysis of mouse, rat and human data revealed that CB1 and CB2 receptors are enriched in a cocktail of nociceptive and sensory perception, inflammatory, immune-modulatory, and cancer pathways. Thus, we cautiously conclude that pharmacological modulators of CB1/2 receptors show promise in the treatment of cancer-induced bone pain, however further assessment of their effects on bone pain in genetically engineered animal models and cancer patients is warranted.

Daily Pain Prediction Using Smartphone Speech Recordings of Patients With Spine Disease

BACKGROUND

Pain evaluation remains largely subjective in neurosurgical practice, but machine learning provides the potential for objective pain assessment tools.

OBJECTIVE

To predict daily pain levels using speech recordings from personal smartphones of a cohort of patients with diagnosed neurological spine disease.

METHODS

Patients with spine disease were enrolled through a general neurosurgical clinic with approval from the institutional ethics committee. At-home pain surveys and speech recordings were administered at regular intervals through the Beiwe smartphone application. Praat audio features were extracted from the speech recordings to be used as input to a K-nearest neighbors (KNN) machine learning model. The pain scores were transformed from a 0 to 10 scale to low and high pain for better discriminative capacity.

RESULTS

A total of 60 patients were enrolled, and 384 observations were used to train and test the prediction model. Using the KNN prediction model, an accuracy of 71% with a positive predictive value of 0.71 was achieved in classifying pain intensity into high and low. The model showed 0.71 precision for high pain and 0.70 precision for low pain. Recall of high pain was 0.74, and recall of low pain was 0.67. The overall F1 score was 0.73.

CONCLUSION

Our study uses a KNN to model the relationship between speech features and pain levels collected from personal smartphones of patients with spine disease. The proposed model is a stepping stone for the development of objective pain assessment in neurosurgery clinical practice.

Feasibility of Investigational Procedures and Efficacy of a Personalized Omega-3 Dietary Intervention in Alleviating Pain and Psychoneurological Symptoms in Breast Cancer Survivors

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer survivors (BCS) are at risk for psychoneurological symptoms (PNS) and inflammation for years following cancer treatment. Fish, particularly salmon, provides a rich source of omega-3 long chain fatty acids (omega-3LC), which has an anti-inflammatory effect. However, the benefit of omega-3LC on PNS is not well-known.

AIMS

This study evaluated the feasibility and the initial efficacy of a personalized meal plan with dietary omega-3LC in reducing PNS.

METHODS

A prospective, randomized controlled trial design (n = 46) was used to evaluate the feasibility of a personalized meal plan using two omega-3LC dose levels (high and low omega-3LC) in reducing PNS including pain, depression, fatigue, sleep, and stress.

RESULTS

The recruitment rate was 4.9% with overall retention rate of 74% and 67.1% adherence to personalized meal plan and dietary procedures. Of participants who completed the investigation, 94% completed fish adherence logs and consumed ≥70% of the assigned quantity of fish. Saliva collection was 97.8% at baseline and 100% at follow-up. BCS in the high omega-3LC group had a significant decrease in pain (p < .01), perceived stress (p < .05), sleep (p < .001), depression (p < .001), and fatigue (p < .01) over the course of intervention. There were trends of PNS improvement in the low omega-3LC group but the differences did not reach statistical significance.

CONCLUSION

Our results support the feasibility of our investigational design, procedures, and intervention. The outcomes provide preliminary support for an expanded research effort using fish as a source of omega-3LC and personalized dietary planning as a vehicle for symptom self-management in BCS.

Exploring the relationship between DNA methylation age measures and psychoneurological symptoms in women with early-stage breast cancer

PURPOSE

The epigenetic clock has been acknowledged as an indicator for molecular aging, but few studies have examined possible associations of DNA methylation (DNAm) age or age acceleration (AA) with symptom burden in individuals who are treated for cancer. This study explored the association of DNAm age or AA with psychoneurological (PN) symptoms, including cognitive impairment, fatigue, sleep disturbances, pain, and depressive symptoms, in breast cancer survivors over a 2-year period.

METHODS

We measured PN symptoms using reliable instruments and DNAm levels by Infinium HumanMethylation450K BeadChip (N = 72). DNAm age was calculated by the Horvath, Grim, and Hannum-based intrinsic and extrinsic age estimations. AA was defined by the residual regressing estimated epigenetic age on chronological age. Mixed regression models were fitted for AA and changes in AA to study the association over time. Separate linear regression models and a mixed-effects model were fitted for AA at each time point.

RESULTS

Horvath-AA, Grim-AA, and extrinsic epigenetic AA were significantly changed over time, while intrinsic epigenetic AA did not exhibit any temporal changes. Increased AA was associated with greater anxiety and fatigue, as well as worse cognitive memory, adjusting for race, BMI, income, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and chronological age. Increased DNAm age was associated with greater anxiety over 2 years.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest DNAm age and AA may be associated with PN symptoms over the course of cancer treatment and survivorship. Some PN symptoms may be amenable to preventive interventions targeted to epigenetic clocks that influence aging-associated processes.

Cancer pain: Results of a prospective study on prognostic indicators of pain intensity including pain syndromes assessment

BACKGROUND

Pain is a prevalent symptom in patients with advanced cancer. Recognition of prognostic factors associated with pain intensity, could help provide better assessment, leading to better pain management.

AIM

identifying prognostic factors which could guide improvements on cancer pain classification.

DESIGN

a prospective observational study on chronic cancer pain, exploring the association between average mean pain intensity during a 28 days study follow-up and patients' clinical and pain-related characteristics, including pain syndromes. To evaluate these associations, a mixed model was built.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS

Patients attending a Palliative Care and Pain Outpatient Clinic from May 2015 to June 2019 were screened. Patients with moderate to severe cancer pain who were already receiving or needed treatment with third step WHO ladder opioids were enrolled in the study. Data from 342 patients with at least one follow-up visit were analyzed.

RESULTS

Pain intensity decreased significantly for all patients during time (p < 0.001). Age, sex, emotional distress, pain duration and neuropathic pain presence evaluated by the Douleur Neuropathique 4 Questions (DN4) questionnaire were not significantly associated to pain intensity. Breakthrough/episodic pain was associated with higher pain intensity during follow-up (p < 0.001). The diagnosis of pain syndrome was overall significantly associated with mean pain intensity during follow-up (p = 0.016). Particularly, the concurrent presence of visceral and soft (p = 0.026) or soft and nervous tissue pain (p = 0.043) were significantly related to worse outcome, whereas pain due to only soft tissue damage with better outcome (p = 0.032).

CONCLUSIONS

The recognition of specific pain syndromes may help to better classify cancer pain.

Telomere lengths in women treated for breast cancer show associations with chemotherapy, pain symptoms, and cognitive domain measures: a longitudinal study

Background

Survival rates for breast cancer (BC) have improved, but quality of life post-diagnosis/treatment can be adversely affected, with survivors reporting a constellation of psychoneurological symptoms (PNS) including stress, anxiety, depression, pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and cognitive dysfunction.

Methods

To assess a potential relationship between telomere length (TL) and the development/persistence of PNS, we longitudinally studied 70 women (ages 23–71) with early stage BC (I-IIIA) at 5 time-points: prior to treatment (baseline), the mid-point of their chemotherapy cycle, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years following the initiation of chemotherapy.

Measures quantified included assessments of each of the PNS noted above and TL [using both a multiplex qPCR assay and a chromosome-specific fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay].

Results

Variables associated with qPCR mean TLs were age (p = 0.004) and race (T/S ratios higher in Blacks than Whites; p = 0.019). Significant differences (mostly decreases) in chromosome-specific TLs were identified for 32 of the 46 chromosomal arms at the mid-chemo time-point (p = 0.004 to 0.049). Unexpectedly, the sequential administration of doxorubicin [Adriamycin], cyclophosphamide [Cytoxan], and docetaxel [Taxotere] (TAC regimen) was consistently associated with higher TLs, when compared to TLs in women receiving a docetaxel [Taxotere], Carboplatin [Paraplatin], and trastuzumab [Herceptin] [TCH] chemotherapy regimen [association was shown with both the qPCR and FISH assays (p = 0.036)]. Of the PNS, pain was significantly negatively associated with TL (higher pain; shorter telomeres) for a subset of chromosomal arms (5q, 8p, 13p, 20p, 22p, Xp, Xq) (p = 0.014–0.047). Chromosomal TLs were also associated with 7 of the 8 cognitive domains evaluated, with the strongest relationship being noted for chromosome 17 and the visual memory domain (shorter telomeres; lower scores).

Conclusions

We showed that race and age were significantly associated with telomere length in women treated for early stage BC and that acquired telomere alterations differed based on the woman’s treatment regimen. Our study also demonstrated that pain and cognitive domain measures were significantly related to telomere values in this study cohort. Expanding upon the knowledge gained from this longitudinal study could provide insight about the biological cascade of events that contribute to PNS related to BC and/or its treatment.

Supplementary information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13058-020-01368-6.

Psychometric Properties of Sinhala Version of Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire-2 (SF MPQ-2-Sin) among Patients with Cancer Pain in Sri Lanka

Introduction

Pain is one of the most common and unpleasant symptoms that distress the well-being of patients with cancer. Considerable evidence supports the validity and reliability of the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) and its short forms, the SF MPQ and SF MPQ-2—which are the most widely used tools for pain assessment—in terms of patients with cancer. Pain and its characteristics are best assessed using validated and culturally adapted tools developed in participants' mother tongue. Although many pain assessment tools are available worldwide, only a limited number of them have been translated into Sinhala language and validated in Sri Lanka. We aimed to translate SF MPQ-2 into Sinhala language and validate using Sinhala-speaking patients suffering from cancer pains in Sri Lanka.

Materials and Methods

Translation has been conducted according to the guidelines laid down by Mapi Research Trust, in five stages, namely, forward translation, backward translation, expert opinion, cognitive debriefing interviews, and proofreading. The questionnaire was administered among 207 patients attending Apeksha Hospital, Sri Lanka, who are suffering from cancer pain. Content validity was tested using expert opinion, and face validity, by interviewing patients with cancer pain. Factor structure was tested through a factor analysis, and reliability, by internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha.

Results

A total of 207 participants (112 males and 95 females), aged between 20 and 80 years, were included in the study. Factor analysis identified four factors compatible with studies done in other countries, which explained 53.5% of the variance. The analysis of data indicated Cronbach's alpha of neuropathic, affective, intermittent, and continuous subscales as 0.768, 0.791, 0.824, and 0.789, respectively, which were over the acceptable threshold of 0.70. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the four-factor model.

Conclusion

SF MPQ-2-Sinhala version is a statistically proven reliable and valid pain descriptor which can be utilized to evaluate pain suffered by patients with cancer in Sri Lanka whose mother tongue is Sinhala.

Managing severe pain and abuse potential: the potential impact of a new abuse-deterrent formulation oxycodone/naltrexone extended-release product

Proper management of severe pain represents one of the most challenging clinical dilemmas. Two equally important goals must be attained: the humanitarian/medical goal to relieve suffering and the societal/legal goal to not contribute to the drug abuse problem. This is an age-old problem, and the prevailing emphasis placed on one or the other goal has resulted in pendulum swings that have resulted in either undertreatment of pain or the current epidemic of misuse and abuse. In an effort to provide efficacious strong pain relievers (opioids) that are more difficult to abuse by the most dangerous routes of administration, pharmaceutical companies are developing products in which the opioid is manufactured in a formulation that is designed to be tamper resistant. Such a product is known as an abuse-deterrent formulation (ADF). ADF opioid products are designed to deter or resist abuse by making it difficult to tamper with the product and extracting the opioid for inhalation or injection. To date, less than a dozen opioid formulations have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to carry specific ADF labeling, but this number will likely increase in the coming years. Most of these products are extended-release formulations.

Opioids combined with antidepressants or antiepileptic drugs for cancer pain: Systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Combining antidepressant or antiepileptic drugs with opioids has resulted in increased pain relief when used for neuropathic pain in non-cancer conditions. However, evidence to support their effectiveness in cancer pain is lacking.

AIM

To determine if there is additional benefit when opioids are combined with antidepressant or antiepileptic drugs for cancer pain.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis. Randomised control trials comparing opioid analgesia in combination with antidepressant or antiepileptic drugs versus opioid monotherapy were sought. Data on pain and adverse events were extracted. Data were pooled using DerSimonian-Laird random-effects meta-analyses, and heterogeneity was assessed.

RESULTS

Seven randomised controlled trials that randomised 605 patients were included in the review. Patients' pain was described as neuropathic cancer pain, cancer bone pain and non-specific cancer pain. Four randomised controlled trials were included in the meta-analysis in which opioid in combination with either gabapentin or pregabalin was compared with opioid monotherapy. The pooled standardised mean difference was 0.16 (95% confidence interval, -0.19, 0.51) showing no significant difference in pain relief between the groups. Adverse events were more frequent in the combination arms. Data on amitriptyline, fluvoxamine and phenytoin were inconclusive.

CONCLUSION

Combining opioid analgesia with gabapentinoids did not significantly improve pain relief in patients with tumour-related cancer pain compared with opioid monotherapy. Due to the heterogeneity of patient samples, benefit in patients with definite neuropathic cancer pain cannot be excluded. Clinicians should balance the small likelihood of benefit in patients with tumour-related cancer pain against the increased risk of adverse effects of combination therapy.

AAPT Diagnostic Criteria for Chronic Cancer Pain Conditions

Chronic cancer pain is a serious complication of malignancy or its treatment. Currently, no comprehensive, universally accepted cancer pain classification system exists. Clarity in classification of common cancer pain syndromes would improve clinical assessment and management. Moreover, an evidence-based taxonomy would enhance cancer pain research efforts by providing consistent diagnostic criteria, ensuring comparability across clinical trials. As part of a collaborative effort between the Analgesic, Anesthetic, and Addiction Clinical Trial Translations, Innovations, Opportunities, and Networks (ACTTION) and the American Pain Society (APS), the ACTTION-APS Pain Taxonomy initiative worked to develop the characteristics of an optimal diagnostic system. After the establishment of these characteristics, a working group consisting of clinicians and clinical and basic scientists with expertise in cancer and cancer-related pain was convened to generate core diagnostic criteria for an illustrative sample of 3 chronic pain syndromes associated with cancer (ie, bone pain and pancreatic cancer pain as models of pain related to a tumor) or its treatment (ie, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy). A systematic review and synthesis was conducted to provide evidence for the dimensions that comprise this cancer pain taxonomy. Future efforts will subject these diagnostic categories and criteria to systematic empirical evaluation of their feasibility, reliability, and validity and extension to other cancer-related pain syndromes.

PERSPECTIVE

The ACTTION-APS chronic cancer pain taxonomy provides an evidence-based classification for 3 prevalent syndromes, namely malignant bone pain, pancreatic cancer pain, and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. This taxonomy provides consistent diagnostic criteria, common features, comorbidities, consequences, and putative mechanisms for these potentially serious cancer pain conditions that can be extended and applied with other cancer-related pain syndromes.

Variations in COMT and NTRK2 Influence Symptom Burden in Women Undergoing Breast Cancer Treatment

Women with breast cancer frequently report distressing symptoms during and after treatment that can significantly erode quality of life (QOL). Symptom burden among women with breast cancer is of complex etiology and is likely influenced by disease, treatment, and environmental factors as well as individual genetic differences. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships between genetic polymorphisms within Neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor 1 (NTRK1), Neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor 2 (NTRK2), and catechol-O-methyltransferase ( COMT) and patient symptom burden of QOL, pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance before, during, and after treatment for breast cancer in a subset of participants ( N = 51) in a randomized clinical trial of a novel symptom-management modality for women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Patients were recruited at the time of initial breast cancer diagnosis and completed all survey measures at the time of recruitment, after the initiation of treatment (surgery and/or chemotherapy), and then following treatment conclusion. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed significant associations between NTRK2 and COMT single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotype and symptom burden. Two COMT variants were associated with the specific symptoms of anxiety and QOL measures prior to the initiation of chemotherapy as well as pain interference and severity during and after treatment. Genotype at the NTRK2 SNP rs1212171 was associated with both sleep disturbance and fatigue. These findings, while exploratory, indicate that the genotypes of NTRK2 and COMT may contribute to relative risk for symptom burden during and shortly after the period of chemotherapy in women with early stage breast cancer.

Relationships among psychoneurological symptoms and levels of C-reactive protein over 2 years in women with early-stage breast cancer

PURPOSE

The aim of the present study was to explore clusters of psychoneurological symptoms and inflammation (levels of C-reactive protein) over time in a cohort of women with early-stage breast cancer. Specifically, we examined the relationships among affective symptoms (depression, anxiety, fatigue, sleep disturbances, pain, and perceived stress), domains of cognitive performance, and levels of peripheral C-reactive over a period of 2 years.

METHODS

This was a prospective, longitudinal study of 77 women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. Data collection, including symptom questionnaires, performance-based cognitive testing, and blood draws, took place at 5 time points: prior to initiating adjuvant chemotherapy, prior to the fourth chemotherapy treatment, and at 6, 12, and 24 months after the initiation of chemotherapy.

RESULTS

Exploratory factor analysis with varimax orthogonal rotation was used to examine the covariance among symptoms at each visit. Using the factor scores and weighted sums, three clusters were identified: global cognition, affective symptoms, and cognitive efficiency. Peripheral levels of C-reactive protein were inversely correlated with the cognitive efficiency factor across time.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that objectively measured domains of cognitive function occur independently of other affective symptoms that are commonly reported by women with breast cancer in long-term survivorship. The cognitive efficiency symptom cluster may be amenable to interventions targeted to biological influences that reduce levels of C-reactive protein.

Acute Pain Management

Acute pain management is improving steadily over the past few years, but training and professional education are still lacking in many professions. Untreated or undertreated acute pain could have detrimental effects on the patient in terms of comfort and recovery from trauma or surgery. Acute undertreated pain can decrease a patient's vascular perfusion, increase oxygen demand, suppress the immune system, and possibly risk increased incidence of venous thrombosis. Although acute postoperative pain needs to be managed aggressively, patients are most vulnerable during this period for developing adverse effects, and therefore, patient assessment and careful drug therapy evaluation are necessary processes in therapeutic planning. Acute pain management requires careful and thorough initial assessment and follow-up reassessment in addition to frequent dosage adjustments, and managing analgesic induced side effects. Analgesic selection and dosing must be based on the patient's past and recent analgesic exposure. There is no single acute pain management regimen that is suitable for all patients. Analgesics must be tailored to the individual patient.

The Ehrlich tumor induces pain-like behavior in mice: a novel model of cancer pain for pathophysiological studies and pharmacological screening

The Ehrlich tumor is a mammary adenocarcinoma of mice that can be developed in solid and ascitic forms depending on its administration in tissues or cavities, respectively. The present study investigates whether the subcutaneous plantar administration of the Ehrlich tumor cells induces pain-like behavior and initial pharmacological susceptibility characteristics. The Ehrlich tumor cells (1 × 10⁴–10⁷ cells) induced dose-dependent mechanical hyperalgesia (electronic version of the von Frey filaments), paw edema/tumor growth (caliper), and flinches compared with the saline group between days 2 and 12. There was no difference between doses of cells regarding thermal hyperalgesia in the hot-plate test. Indomethacin (a cyclooxygenase inhibitor) and amitriptyline hydrochloride (a tricyclic antidepressant) treatments did not affect flinches or thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia. On the other hand, morphine (an opioid) inhibited the flinch behavior and the thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia. These effects of morphine on pain-like behavior were prevented by naloxone (an opioid receptor antagonist) treatment. None of the treatments affected paw edema/tumor growth. The results showed that, in addition to tumor growth, administration of the Ehrlich tumor cells may represent a novel model for the study of cancer pain, specially the pain that is susceptible to treatment with opioids, but not to cyclooxygenase inhibitor or to tricyclic antidepressant.

Symptom Cluster Research in Women with Breast Cancer: A Comparison of Three Subgrouping Techniques

Aims

To examine how symptom cluster subgroups defined by extreme discordant composite scores, cut-off scores, or a median split influence statistical associations with peripheral cytokine levels in women with breast cancer.

Background

Systemic cytokine dysregulation has been posited as a potential biological mechanism underlying symptom clusters in women with breast cancer. Symptom characteristics may play an important role in identifying cytokines of significant etiological importance, however, there is no consensus regarding the ideal subgrouping technique to use.

Design

A secondary analysis of data collected from a cross-sectional descriptive study of women with stage I-II breast cancer was used to examine and compare the relationships between peripheral cytokine levels and symptom subgroups defined by extreme discordant composite scores, cut-off scores, or a median split.

Methods

Participant symptom scores were transformed into a composite score to account for variability in symptom intensity, frequency and interference. Cytokine levels in subgroups defined by composite scores within the highest and lowest 20% were contrasted with those composed from cut-off scores and a median split.

Results

Subgroups defined by the composite score or cut-off scores resulted in similar statistical relationships with cytokine levels in contrast to the median split technique. The use of a median split for evaluating relationships between symptoms clusters and cytokine levels may increase the risk of a type I error.

Conclusion

Composite and cut-off scores represent best techniques for defining symptom cluster subgroups in women with breast cancer. Using a consistent approach to defining symptom clusters across studies may assist in identifying relevant biological mechanisms.

Heterogeneity of chronic pain

Chronic pain is a widespread public health issue that has many effects on physical, emotional and cognitive functions. An estimated 10-55% of all adults are thought to have chronic pain. Chronic pain is a multifactorial condition, caused by the complex interplay of nociceptive, neuropathic or mixed pathogenic mechanisms. Chronic pain is associated with specific and non-specific medical conditions such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, low back pain or spinal stenosis and is broadly categorized as cancer pain and non-cancer pain. Evaluation of chronic pain requires a clear understanding of the nature of the pain and its underlying pathophysiology. Adequate assessment of pain, using validated tools, is an essential prerequisite of successful pain management. Unidimensional scales are useful for the measurement of pain intensity, while multidimensional scales measure both pain intensity and the extent to which pain interferes with life activity and emotional functioning. Patients should be reassessed and followed up in order to monitor progress and measure improvements in pain.

Pain and inflammation in women with early-stage breast cancer prior to induction of chemotherapy

CONTEXT

Pain is a commonly experienced and distressing symptom in women with breast cancer (BCA), and recent evidence suggests that immune activation may be associated with pain and other co-occurring symptoms. However, no studies to date have explored the relationships among perceived pain and biomarkers of inflammation in women with early-stage BCA during the initial course of treatment.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this research study was to examine the relationships among pro- and anti-inflammatory biomarkers and the presence of pain and other symptoms (anxiety, depression, fatigue, and sleep disorder) prior to induction of chemotherapy.

METHOD

This was a secondary analysis of data that measured perceived symptoms, including the presence of pain and pain interference, and plasma levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and C-reactive protein (CRP) in women with early-stage BCA (N = 32) at 1 month postsurgery but prior to induction of chemotherapy.

RESULTS

Women experiencing pain had significantly higher levels of CRP (p < .01), interleukin (IL) 13 (p < .02), and IL-7 (p < .02) and more pain interference (p < .01), depression (p < .01), and sleep disturbance (p < .01) compared to women reporting no pain.

CONCLUSION

The presence of pain during the initial course of treatment in women with early-stage BCA was associated with significantly higher levels of CRP, IL-7, and IL-13, suggesting a potential role of immune activation in perceived pain. Further research to examine the precise effects of these biological factors in modulating pain is needed. Perceived pain was also associated with multiple co-occurring symptoms, and this finding has important implications for symptom management.

Utilization of brief pain inventory as an assessment tool for pain in patients with cancer: a focused review

The Pain Research Group of the world health organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Symptom Evaluation in Cancer Care had developed the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), a pain assessment tool for use with cancer patients. The BPI measures both the intensity of pain (sensory dimension) and interference of pain in the patient's life (reactive dimension). The objective of this review paper was to provide a detailed update of existing evidence on applicability of BPI in evaluation of patients with cancer pain. The BPI demonstrated good construct and concurrent validity. It was translated and validated into many languages - Brazilian, Chinese, Greek, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Norwegian, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Taiwanese and Thai. The BPI was validated in patient populations such as bone metastases, breast cancer and postoperative cancer patients. The BPI can be used both as a quantitative or a qualitative measure for statistical analysis. The BPI was a powerful tool and, having demonstrated both reliability and validity across cultures and languages, was being adopted in many countries for clinical pain assessment, epidemiological studies, and in studies on the effectiveness of pain treatment. Future studies are warranted on its responsiveness and cross-cultural adaptation into other cancer pain syndromes and into other Indian languages.

The McGill Pain Questionnaire as a multidimensional measure in people with cancer: an integrative review

First published in 1975, the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) is an often-cited pain measure, but there have been no systematic reviews of the MPQ in cancer populations. Our objective was to evaluate the MPQ as a multidimensional measure of pain in people with cancer. A systematic search of research that used the MPQ in adults with cancer and published in English from 1975 to 2009 was conducted. Twenty-one articles retrieved through computerized searches and nine studies from manual searches met the criteria. Review of the 30 studies demonstrated that pain intensity (n = 29 studies) and pain quality (n = 27 studies) were measured more frequently than pain location, pattern, and behavior parameters. Measuring cancer pain using the MPQ provided insights about disease sites, magnitude of pain, and effectiveness of treatment and intervention. Additionally, the MPQ data informed speculations about pain mechanisms, emotional status, overall sensory pain experience, changes in pain over time, and alleviating and aggravating behaviors/factors. Findings supported the MPQ as an effective multidimensional measure with good stability, content, construct, and criterion validity and showed sensitivity to treatment or known-group effects. The MPQ is a valid, reliable, and sensitive multidimensional measure of cancer pain. Cancer pain is a subjective complex experience consisting of multiple dimensions, and measuring cancer pain with the MPQ may help clinicians to more fully understand whether those dimensions of cancer pain influence each other. As a result, clinicians can provide better and effective cancer pain management.

Classification of pain in cancer patients--a systematic literature review

One of the aims of the European Palliative Care Research Collaborative (EPCRC) is to achieve consensus on a classification system for cancer pain. We performed a systematic literature review to identify existing classification systems and domains/items used to classify cancer patients with pain. In a systematic search in the databases Medline and Embase, covering 1986-2006, 692 hits were obtained. 92 papers were evaluated to address pain classification. Six standardised classification systems were identified; three of them systematically developed and partially validated. Both pain characteristics and patient characteristics relevant for cancer pain classification were included in the classification systems. All but one of the standardised systems aim at predicting treatment response or adequacy of treatment. Several domains and items used to describe cancer pain but not formally described as part of a classification system were also identified and systematized. The existing approaches to pain classification in cancer patients are different, mostly not thoroughly validated, and none is widely applied. An internationally accepted classification system for cancer pain could improve research and cancer pain management. This systematic review suggests a need for developing an international consensus on how to classify pain in cancer patients.

An alternative approach to treating lateral epicondylitis. A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of noxious level electrical stimulation on pain, grip strength and functional abilities in subjects with chronic lateral epicondylitis.

DESIGN

Randomized, placebo-control, double-blinded study.

SETTING

Physical Therapy Department, North Georgia College and State University.

SUBJECTS

Eighteen subjects with chronic lateral epicondylitis between the ages of 24 and 72 years participated in this study. Subjects were randomly assigned into treatment or placebo groups.

INTERVENTIONS

Subjects received six sessions of low-frequency electrical stimulation over the palpated tender points. The intensity of electrical stimulation was set at 0 in the placebo group.

MAIN MEASUREMENTS

Grip strength, functional status, pain intensity and limited activity due to pain were assessed before and after treatment. Six-month follow-up data were collected in treatment group only.

RESULTS

Both clinically and statistically significant improvements in average grip strength were found (treatment group: 28% increase; placebo group: 2.5% decrease; P=0.04), functional activity (treatment group: 110% increase; placebo group: 22% increase; P= 0.003), pain intensity (treatment group: 3.1 point decrease; placebo group: 0.2 point increase; P=0.01) and activity limitation due to pain (treatment group: 4.1 points increase; placebo group: 1.9 point decrease; P= 0.003) between the treatment and placebo groups. Follow-up data showed that 100% of subjects maintained the improved function, and 83% remained pain-free for at least six months post treatment.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study indicated that symptoms of chronic lateral epicondylitis could be effectively treated by noxious level low-frequency electrical stimulation.

Measurement of dyspnoea in the clinical rather than the research setting

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Refractory dyspnoea is a common and difficult to treat symptom in advanced disease. Accurate assessment helps to guide treatment and prognosis.

RECENT FINDINGS

The absence of commonly agreed assessment tools has been a significant barrier to improving care through inhibition of clinical research and limitation of clinicians' ability to assess the effectiveness of their interventions. Two recently published systematic reviews on measurement tools for breathlessness identified a variety of tools but none could be recommended as gold standard. Validation of these tools in palliative care seems more appropriate than development of new tools. For clinical purposes, the combination of a unidimensional tool to assess dyspnoea severity and a multidimensional tool to evaluate the impact on a person's quality of life seem most appropriate. This review discusses the present evidence and puts forward a strategy for assessment and measurement of the symptom in clinical practice.

SUMMARY

Despite a variety of measurement tools none can be recommended as gold standard for the assessment of dyspnoea. A combination of unidimensional and multidimensional tools seems to be the best for clinical assessment. Measurement of dyspnoea has to be seen in context with the person's history, physical examination and diagnostic tests.

The effect of oscillating-energy manual therapy on lateral epicondylitis: a randomized, placebo-control, double-blinded study

Symptoms of lateral epicondylitis (LE) are attributed to degenerative changes and inflammatory reactions in the common extensor tendon induced by microscopic tears in the tissue after repetitive or overload functions of the wrist and hand extensor muscles. Conventional treatments, provided on the premise of inflammatory basis of LE, have shown 39-80% failure rate. An alternative approach suggests that symptoms of LE could be due to active tender points developed in the origin of hand and wrist extensor muscles after overuse or repetitive movements. Oscillating-energy Manual Therapy (OEMT), also known as V-spread, is a craniosacral manual technique that has been clinically used for treating tender points over the suture lines in the skull. Considering symptoms of LE may result from active tender points, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of OEMT on pain, grip strength, and functional abilities of subjects with chronic LE. Twenty-three subjects with chronic LE (>3mo) between ages of 24 and 72 years participated in this study. Before their participation, all subjects were screened to rule out cervical and other pathologies that could possibly contribute to their lateral elbow pain. Subjects who met the inclusion criteria were randomized into treatment and placebo treatment groups by a second (treating) therapist. Subjects were blinded to their group assignment. Subjects in the treatment group received OEMT for six sessions. During each treatment session, first a tender point was located through palpation. After proper hand placement, the therapist focused the direction of the oscillating energy on the localized tender point. Subjects in the placebo group underwent the same procedure, but the direction of the oscillating energy was directed to an area above or below the tender points, not covering the affected area. Jamar Dynamometer, Patient Specific Functional Scale (PSFS), and Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) were used to measure grip strength, functional status, and pain intensity and limited activity due to pain, respectively. The screening therapist who was blinded to the subjects' group assignment performed pretest, posttest, and six-month follow-up measurements. Subjects in the treatment group showed both clinically and statistically significant improvement in grip strength (p=0.03), pain intensity (p=0.006), function (p=0.003), and limited activity due to pain (p=0.025) compared with those in the placebo group. Follow-up data, collected after six months, showed no significant difference between posttest and follow-up measurements in functional activity (p=0.35), pain intensity (p=0.72), and activity limitation due to pain (p=0.34). Of all the subjects contacted for follow-up assessment, 91% maintained improved function and 73% remained pain free for at least six months. OEMT seems to be a viable, effective, and efficient alternative treatment for LE.

Cancer pain: an update of pharmacological approaches in pain therapy

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review discusses clinically oriented data on advances in pharmacological research of cancer pain therapy carried out during the last year. The aim is to ascertain whether well known guidelines for cancer pain prove to be adequate or require modification.

RECENT FINDINGS

There are alternatives to morphine, which is the standard drug, including oxycodone or methadone, with the problem of equivalence doses in the case of opioid rotation. Depending on the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms, adjuvant drugs are recommended, such as antidepressants and anticonvulsants for neuropathic pain, or bisphosphonates for metastasis bone pain. Current and future research will offer receptor-specific acting new drugs or old drugs under new indications.

SUMMARY

The recommendations of the World Health Organization ladder remain the mainstay of cancer pain management. These recommendations, however, are based more on expert opinions than on evidence-based data.

Pain in chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer

Chronic, debilitating abdominal pain is arguably the most important component of chronic pancreatitis, leading to significant morbidity and disability. Attempting to treat this pain, which is too often unsuccessful, is a frustrating experience for physician and patient. Multiple studies to improve understanding of the pathophysiology that causes pain in some patients but not in others have been performed since the most recent reviews on this topic. In addition, new treatment modalities have been developed and evaluated in this population. This review discusses new advances in neuroscience and the study of visceral pain mechanisms, as well as genetic factors that may play a role. Updates of established therapies, as well as new techniques used in addressing pain from chronic pancreatitis, are reviewed. Lastly, outcome measures, which have been highly variable in this field over the years, are addressed.

Measurement of breathlessness in advanced disease: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

There is a plethora of assessment tools available to measure breathlessness, the most common and disabling symptom of advanced cardio-respiratory disease. The aim of this systematic review was to identify all measures available via standard search techniques and review their usefulness for patients with advanced disease.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was performed in Medline. All studies focusing on the development or evaluation of tools for measuring breathlessness in chronic respiratory disease, cardiac disease, cancer, or MND were identified. Their characteristics with regard to validity, reliability, appropriateness and responsiveness to change were described. The tools were then examined for their usefulness in measuring significant aspects of breathlessness in advanced disease.

RESULTS

Thirty-five tools were initially identified, two were excluded. Twenty-nine were multidimensional of which 11 were breathlessness-specific and 18 disease-specific. Four tools were unidimensional, measuring the severity of breathlessness. The majority of disease-specific scales were validated for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), few were applicable in other conditions. No one tool assessed all the dimensions of this complex symptom, which affects the psychology and social functioning of the affected individual and their family--most focused on physical activity.

CONCLUSION

As yet there is no one scale that can accurately reflect the far-reaching effects of breathlessness on the patient with advanced disease and their family. Therefore, at present, we would recommend combining a unidimensional scale (e.g. VAS) with a disease-specific scale (where available) or a multidimensional scale in conjunction with other methods (such as qualitative techniques) to gauge psychosocial and carer distress for the assessment of breathlessness in advanced disease.

Clinical effects of heliox administration for acute bronchiolitis in young infants

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effect of heliox, a helium-oxygen mixture, on respiratory distress symptoms in young infants.

DESIGN

Prospective, randomized, double-blind study.

SETTING

Pediatric ICU (PICU) of a university hospital.

PATIENTS

Twenty infants, all < 3 months old, admitted to the PICU with moderate-to-severe acute respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis.

INTERVENTIONS

All infants were randomly and blindly assigned to inhale either heliox or an air-oxygen mixture (airox) for 1 h under an oxyhood.

MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS

After 1 h, the respiratory distress score was significantly lower in the heliox group compared with the airox group (3.05 vs 5.5, p < 0.01), with a significant reduction in accessory muscles use (p < 0.05) and expiratory wheezing (p < 0.01). In contrast, inspiratory breath sounds and cyanosis did not significantly differ between groups. The ex-premature infants of the heliox group had a higher respiratory distress score at baseline compared with the term infants of this group (5.8 vs 5.2, p < 0.05) and a comparable decrease in the score at 60 min.

CONCLUSIONS

In young infants, even those born prematurely, heliox breathing induced a rapid reduction in accessory muscles use and expiratory wheezing. Further studies are needed to confirm the decreased respiratory muscle work of breathing during heliox inhalation in this population.

Prospective Randomized Trial of Silver Nitrate vs Talc Slurry in Pleurodesis for Symptomatic Malignant Pleural Effusions

STUDY OBJECTIVES

To compare the efficacy and the safety of talc slurry and silver nitrate (SN) in the treatment of symptomatic malignant pleural effusions.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Sixty patients were enrolled into the study, and all received a chest tube (26F or 28F) that was placed using local anesthesia. The patients were randomized to receive either 5 g talc diluted to a total volume of 50 mL with saline solution or 20 mL 0.5% SN through the chest tube. Patients were clinically evaluated before and after treatment regarding pain, and were evaluated at monthly intervals with respect to the effectiveness of pleurodesis. Eleven patients did not return for their 30-day follow-up visit and were excluded from further analysis. Pleurodesis therapy was considered to be successful if there was no recurrence of the effusion. The patients who did not have a pleurodesis at one visit were excluded from subsequent visits.

RESULTS

Forty-nine patients returned at 30 days for follow-up, including 24 patients who received SN and 25 who received talc. The groups were similar in age (p = 0.23), sex (p = 0.70), Karnofsky index (p = 0.94), and pathology (p = 0.68). After the induction of pleurodesis, neither the total mean (+/- SE) fluid drainage (SN, 901 +/- 125 mL; talc, 766 +/- 74 mL; p = 0.36) nor the level of pain (SN, 2.58 +/- 0.26; talc, 2.62 +/- 0.30; p = 0.91) differed significantly between the groups, and no patient in either group developed ARDS. The mean number of days spent in the hospital was nearly identical (SN group, 3.7 +/- 0.15 days; talc group, 3.6 +/- 0.13 days; p = 0.47). Both SN and talc were effective agents. Thirty days after the procedure, 23 of 24 patients (96%) who had received SN and 21 of 25 patients (84%) who had received talc showed an effective pleurodesis (p = 0.35). Similar results were observed after 60 days (SN group, 18 of 18 patients [100%]; talc group, 13 of 13 patients [100%]; p = > 0.99), 90 days (SN group, 16 of 16 patients [100%]; talc, 8 of 9 patients [89%]; p = 0.36), and 120 days (SN group, 4 of 4 patients [100%]; talc group, 4 of 4 patients [100%]; p > 0.99).

CONCLUSIONS

The present study suggests that SN is an effective agent for producing a pleurodesis. In the present study, SN showed a tendency to be more effective than talc, but the power of the test to detect a significance difference was low in this small group of patients. The side effects of 0.5% SN appear to be minimal, but since only a small number of patients received SN and nearly 20% of the patients were lost to follow-up, significant long-term side effects cannot be excluded. Since SN appears to be as effective as talc, and since there is no evidence that it induces ARDS as has been reported with talc, it should be considered as an alternative to talc for the production of a pleurodesis.

Postoperative pain assessment tools in day surgery: literature review

BACKGROUND

Postoperative pain is an expected phenomenon. However, its passage beyond acceptable limits is a common and costly experience. This is particularly the case in day surgery, partly because of the increasing demand to reduce waiting lists for elective surgery, and partly because of lack of knowledge about patients' experiences of postoperative pain and relevant published research. The latter is mainly concerned with different interpretations of the phenomenon of pain that appear to have led to a variety of often inappropriate pain measurement tools.

AIM

This paper critically reviews some of the available objective and subjective measures of pain and establishes the suitability of a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for measuring the intensity of pain after day surgery.

METHOD

Nursing and health care papers published since 1983 were sought using the keywords: postoperative pain, day surgery, ambulatory surgery, rating scales, VAS, severity, assessment, tool, nursing, validity, sensitivity, reliability and their various combinations. The databases used were Medline, CINAHL, Nursing Collection, Embase, Healthstar, BMJ and several on-line Internet journals, specifically Ambulatory Surgery. The search included only papers published in the English language.

FINDINGS

A range of interpretations of pain have led to the development of various measurement tools that address different components of pain. This inconsistency has led to ineffective pain management. Based on established criteria, the VAS was found to be methodologically sound, conceptually simple, easy to administer and unobtrusive to the respondent. On these grounds, the VAS seems to be most suitable for measuring intensity of pain after day surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Common guidelines on the definition and measurement of pain are needed. In day surgery, the availability of a unified and reliable measure of pain that can address its sensory component, such as the VAS, will provide more reliable information about the pain experience and, hence, improve its overall management.

Advantages of Totally Implanted Port over Impromptu Short-Term Central Venous Catheter in Oncological Pain Therapy

The aim of this paper is to determine if patient controlled analgesia (PCA) by means of programmable pumps improves patients' autonomy and to verify if the short-term central venous catheter - implanted when pain is first evident - makes the quality of life worse in comparison with an early implanted port.

Forty non-terminally ill patients affected by urinary malignant pathologies with visceral and bone metastases were enrolled in a prospective and randomised study at the Urology Department of “La Sapienza” University in Rome, Italy. Intensity of pain and tolerability of venous access were assessed for the first 7 days, and weekly for 3 months. Such data were used to adjust drug therapy.

In this study we hypothesized that a delayed central venous catheter implant, when the pain is at first considerably evident, can interfere negatively with drug treatment. The visual analogue scale (VAS) and the brief pain inventory (BPI) were administered to the patients, and these showed good levels of analgesia in both groups and a greater comfort to the patients with the previously implanted port in comparison with a short-term central venous catheter.

In conclusion, PCA achieves a constant level of drugs and enables the patient to voluntary control the pain by means of supplemental boluses. Both central devices seem to provide similar technical benefits, but the port is much more easily tolerated and the quality of life is increased if it is already available when pain is first evident.