Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for treatment of sarcoma cancer pain

Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation, Interferential Current and Photobiomodulation May Lead to the Recurrence of Breast Cancer in Rats?

Introduction: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), interferential current therapy (IFC) and photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) have been used in the management of cancer-related pain in adults. However, there are still some controversy regarding the effects of this therapy on tumor cells that may remain after cancer treatment. Objective: To evaluate the risk of recurrence of breast cancer in rats when using TENS, IFC or PBMT. Method: An experimental, randomized, controlled and cross-sectional study. With 90 days of age, 7,12-dimetylbenz(a)anthracene (7,12-DMBA) was administered to rats by gastric gavage to induce mammary cancer. After 120 days the mammary glands of the rats belonging to the group with mammary cancer were removed. Results: 39 female Sprague-Dawley rats were studied: 9 rats without induction of mammary carcinoma; 9 rats with induction of mammary carcinoma and without surgery; 9 rats with induction of mammary carcinoma with surgery and placebo application of TENS, IFC, PBMT; 9 rats with induction of mammary carcinoma, surgery and the application of TENS, IFC and PBMT. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that there was local recurrence of tumors in rats that were stimulated with TENS or IFC, however no evidence of local recurrence with PBMT.

Effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on pain in patients with spinal cord injury: a randomized controlled trial

[Purpose] To investigate the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on pain in patients with spinal cord injury. [Subjects and Methods] Fifty-two spinal cord injury patients with central pain were randomly allocated into two groups TENS and control with 26 subjects per group. The patients in TENS and control groups were treated with TENS and sham TENS for 20 min (three times a week) for 12 consecutive weeks, respectively. The two group’s pain was assessed using visual analog scale (VAS) and the McGill Pain Questionnaire (including pain rating index-total, pain rating index-affective, pain rating index-sensory, present pain intensity, and number of words chosen) before and after the treatment. [Results] After the intervention, we found significant differences in VAS, pain rating index-total, pain rating index-affective, pain rating index-sensory, present pain intensity, and number of words chosen between the TENS group and the control group. [Conclusion] Our results suggest that TENS effectively decreases pain in patients with spinal cord injury.