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Celiac Plexus Block with versus without Botulinum Toxin Type A for Pancreatic Cancer Pain: A Retrospective
Kaehong Lee1, Seungpyo Nam1, Seungcheol Yu1
1Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Objective:
To evaluate whether the addition of botulinum toxin type A (BTX) to celiac plexus block (CPB) is associated with improved analgesic outcomes in patients with pancreatic cancer pain.
Design:
Retrospective observational study.
Setting:
Single-center tertiary hospital.
Subjects:
A total of 60 patients with pancreatic cancer pain who underwent fluoroscopy-guided CPB between January 2022 and November 2025.
Methods:
Patients were divided into CPB only (n = 34) and CPB with BTX (n = 26) groups. Pain intensity (numerical rating scale, NRS), opioid consumption (morphine milligram equivalents, MME), and need for rescue interventions were assessed at 4, 8, and 12 weeks. The primary outcome was the proportion of positive responders at 4 weeks, defined as ≥ 2-point reduction in NRS from baseline, no increase in opioid use, and no additional interventions.
Results:
The proportion of positive responders at 4 weeks was significantly higher in the CPB + BTX group compared to the CPB only group (65.4% vs. 8.8%, p < 0.001), with sustained differences at 8 and 12 weeks. The CPB + BTX group showed significantly lower pain scores at all follow-up time points and required fewer rescue interventions, including no cases of neurolysis. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated a longer duration of analgesic response in the CPB + BTX group (p < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, BTX use was independently associated with treatment success (OR = 20.75, p < 0.001), while distant metastasis was a negative predictor. No serious adverse events were observed.
Conclusions:
CPB with BTX was associated with improved analgesic outcomes for pancreatic cancer pain compared to CPB only. The addition of BTX resulted in higher responder rates, sustained pain reduction, and reduced need for rescue interventions. BTX may represent a non-destructive adjunct to CPB and warrants further prospective validation.
