Central pain in cancer patients

Gilbert R Gonzales¹, Sara L Tuttle, Howard T Thaler

¹Department of Neurology, Section of Pain and Palliative Care, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA.

|November 19, 2003

Summary

Central pain (CP) affects 2-4% of hospitalized cancer patients. Causes include tumors and cancer treatments, with spinal cord tumors posing a higher risk than brain tumors.

Area of Science:

Oncology
Neurology
Pain Medicine

Background:

Central pain (CP) is a debilitating condition resulting from damage to the central nervous system (CNS).
The prevalence and characteristics of CP in cancer patients remain largely undefined.
Understanding CP is crucial for improving pain management in oncology.

Purpose of the Study:

To determine the prevalence of central pain in hospitalized cancer patients.
To identify potential causes and risk factors for central pain in this population.
To characterize the clinical presentation of central pain in cancer patients.

Main Methods:

A retrospective review of medical records was conducted.
Patients evaluated by the Pain Service and Neurology Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center were included.
Data on tumor type, cancer therapy, and pain characteristics were analyzed.

Main Results:

The prevalence of central pain was found to be 4% in patients seen by the Pain Service and 2% by the Neurology Service.
Potential causes of CP included primary and metastatic tumors, as well as cancer therapies (surgery, radiation, chemotherapy).
Patients with primary CNS tumors had a higher incidence of CP if they had spinal cord tumors compared to brain tumors (P <.0001).

Conclusions:

Central pain is a relevant issue in hospitalized cancer patients, affecting 2-4% of those evaluated.
Cancer and its treatments are significant contributors to the development of central pain.
Spinal cord tumors represent a particularly high-risk factor for developing central pain in cancer patients.

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Main Results:

Conclusions:

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