Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Motor Cortex on Visceral Pain in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background:Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique to modulate cortical excitability and to induce neuronal plasticity. With a wide range of applications in neurological and psychiatric disorders, the efficiency of tDCS is also studied in the treatment of various pain conditions. Treatment with tDCS might accordingly provide pain relief for patients with acute or chronic pain and thus lead to an increase in quality of life. Moreover, applied as an adjunct therapy, tDCS can reduce help to reduce pain medication intake and accompanying adverse events. To this end, this review examines studies evaluating the efficacy of tDCS in pain relief in patients with intra-abdominal pain.Methods:A structured search of the PubMed medical database was carried out to identify possibly relevant studies. Studies were compared in terms of treatment characteristics, general conditions, and results. Jadad scale was applied for quality analyses.Results:Out of 289 articles that were found initially, 6 studies were identified that met eligibility criteria. Five out of 6 studies reported significant effects for pain reduction in different types of intra-abdominal pain.Conclusions:Results indicate that tDCS might be able to reduce intra-abdominal pain. However, more randomized-controlled trials with larger sample size are necessary to define clinically relevant effects as well as treatment characteristics such as duration of stimulation.

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“…[16] Eventually, a total of 6 studies were identified which complied with the overall criteria. [17–22]…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The main treatment and study characteristics as well as the quality criteria of the 6 RCT's [17–22] are summarized in Tables 1 and 2.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reduction of intra-abdominal pain through transcranial direct current stimulation

et al. 2019

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“…Additionally, contemporary data demonstrate that adverse structural and functional changes in the peripheral and central nervous systems may cause patients experiencing chronic abdominal pain to suffer increased pain perception. 11 Peripheral inflammation and recurrent acute pain contribute to visceral hypersensitivity. At the level of the central nervous system, recurrent acute pain contributes to hyperexcitability in pain-associated brain areas by creating synaptic connections and strengthening existing connections.…”

Section: Pain Classificationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“… 24 Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) may prove an effective therapy to alleviate visceral HCC pain. 11 Multiple sessions of tDCS over the primary motor cortex generated analgesic responses in HCC patients experiencing visceral pain, where relief appeared by the fifth session and persisted for a month. This method may be especially promising because it carries negligible risk and device application is simple.…”

Section: Pain Management and Associated Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Hepatocellular cancer pain: impact and management challenges

Christian-Miller

Frenette

2018

JHC

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Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains the most common primary liver malignancy. Pain comprises one of the most pervasive and troubling symptoms of HCC and may have severely negative effects on patient’s quality of life. Furthermore, because HCC frequently arises in the setting of cirrhosis, treating pain related to this malignancy poses a clinical challenge. This article summarizes manifestations of hepatocellular cancer pain, common obstacles to treatment, and practical HCC pain management.

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Transcranial direct current stimulation in the management of pain in oncology patients. A systematic review and meta-analysis with meta-regression of randomized controlled trials

Navarro-López,

Cardozo-Burgos,

Urbe-Murguizu

et al. 2024

Disability and Rehabilitation

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Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Motor Cortex on Visceral Pain in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract: tDCS proved to be an effective and clinically relevant therapeutic strategy for visceral pain due to HCC.

Cited by 20 publications

References 60 publications

Reduction of intra-abdominal pain through transcranial direct current stimulation

Reduction of intra-abdominal pain through transcranial direct current stimulation

Hepatocellular cancer pain: impact and management challenges

Transcranial direct current stimulation in the management of pain in oncology patients. A systematic review and meta-analysis with meta-regression of randomized controlled trials

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