Cancer Pain With a Neuropathic Component: A Cross-sectional Study of Its Clinical Characteristics, Associated Psychological Distress, Treatments, and Predictors at Referral to a Cancer Pain Clinic

Abstract

One in three patients with cancer have an NPC, which is independently associated with recent chemotherapy, surgery, adjuvant analgesic use, episodic incident and breakthrough pain, longer pain duration, higher pain intensity, and pelvic or perineal pain location.

Cancer-Related Pain: A Longitudinal Study of Time to Stable Pain Control and Its Clinicodemographic Predictors

“…The Douleur Neuropathique 4, 33,34 neuropathic pain screening tool, used a positive cutoff score of $4. As previously reported, 35 the presence of a neuropathic pain component was based on both positive Douleur Neuropathique 4 screening and clinical classification of mixed pain. Episodic pain, 36 defined as a transitory exacerbation of pain that occurs in addition to otherwise stable persistent pain, was recorded and subdivided into incident pain when a trigger or incident activity was identifiable, and breakthrough pain when no trigger was identified.…”

Authors' Reply

“…We thank Shadmani and Mansori for their letter regarding our cross-sectional study of cancer pain with a neuropathic component at referral to a cancer pain clinic. 1 We agree that a cross-sectional design precludes the valid determination of causal inference.…”

“…Finally, this research concludes that one in three patients with cancer have an NPC, which is independently associated with recent chemotherapy, surgery, adjuvant analgesic use, episodic incident and breakthrough pain, longer pain duration, higher pain intensity, and pelvic or perineal pain location. 1 However, although this research was valuable and the results are interesting, there are some methodological issues that should be referred to them.…”

“…sectional Study of Its Clinical Characteristics, Associated Psychological Distress, Treatments, and Predictors at Referral to a Cancer Pain Clinic'' written by Reis-Pina et al, which was published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management in 2018. 1 The purpose of the research was to determine the prevalence, clinical characteristics, associated psychological distress, prereferral treatment, and predictors of cancer pain with nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) in patients referred to a cancer pain clinic. Finally, this research concludes that one in three patients with cancer have an NPC, which is independently associated with recent chemotherapy, surgery, adjuvant analgesic use, episodic incident and breakthrough pain, longer pain duration, higher pain intensity, and pelvic or perineal pain location.…”

The Edmonton Classification System for Cancer Pain: a tool with potential for an evolving role in cancer pain assessment and management

“…Pain is one of the most feared and distressing symptoms associated with cancer. Pooled prevalence estimates suggest that 55% (95% confidence interval, [46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64] of patients receiving active cancer treatment and 64% (58)(59)(60)(61)(62)(63)(64)(65)(66)(67)(68)(69)(70)(71)(72)(73)(74)(75) of those with advanced disease experience cancer pain [1]. Cancer is associated with ageing [2], and given current demographic trends that signal a dramatic increase in the elderly proportion of the population [3], an informed approach to cancer pain assessment and management is of great importance.…”