Spinal Cord Stimulation to Treat Unresponsive Cancer Pain: A Possible Solution in Palliative Oncological Therapy
Federica Paolini,
Gianluca Ferini,
Lapo Bonosi,
Roberta Costanzo,
Lara Brunasso,
Umberto Emanuele Benigno,
Massimiliano Porzio,
Rosa Maria Gerardi,
Giuseppe Roberto Giammalva,
Giuseppe Emmanuele Umana,
Francesca Graziano,
Gianluca Scalia,
Carmelo Lucio Sturiale,
Rina Di Bonaventura,
Domenico Gerardo Iacopino,
Rosario Maugeri
Affiliations
Federica Paolini
Neurosurgical Clinic, AOUP “Paolo Giaccone”, Post Graduate Residency Program in Neurologic Surgery, Department of Biomedicine Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
Gianluca Ferini
Department of Radiation Oncology, REM Radioterapia srl, 95125 Catania, Italy
Lapo Bonosi
Neurosurgical Clinic, AOUP “Paolo Giaccone”, Post Graduate Residency Program in Neurologic Surgery, Department of Biomedicine Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
Roberta Costanzo
Neurosurgical Clinic, AOUP “Paolo Giaccone”, Post Graduate Residency Program in Neurologic Surgery, Department of Biomedicine Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
Lara Brunasso
Neurosurgical Clinic, AOUP “Paolo Giaccone”, Post Graduate Residency Program in Neurologic Surgery, Department of Biomedicine Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
Umberto Emanuele Benigno
Neurosurgical Clinic, AOUP “Paolo Giaccone”, Post Graduate Residency Program in Neurologic Surgery, Department of Biomedicine Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
Massimiliano Porzio
Neurosurgical Clinic, AOUP “Paolo Giaccone”, Post Graduate Residency Program in Neurologic Surgery, Department of Biomedicine Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
Rosa Maria Gerardi
Neurosurgical Clinic, AOUP “Paolo Giaccone”, Post Graduate Residency Program in Neurologic Surgery, Department of Biomedicine Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
Giuseppe Roberto Giammalva
Neurosurgical Clinic, AOUP “Paolo Giaccone”, Post Graduate Residency Program in Neurologic Surgery, Department of Biomedicine Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
Giuseppe Emmanuele Umana
Department of Neurosurgery, Cannizzaro Hospital, Trauma Center, Gamma Knife Center, 95100 Catania, Italy
Francesca Graziano
Unit of Neurosurgery, Garibaldi Hospital, 95100 Catania, Italy
Gianluca Scalia
Unit of Neurosurgery, Garibaldi Hospital, 95100 Catania, Italy
Carmelo Lucio Sturiale
Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (I.R.C.C.S.), Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00100 Rome, Italy
Rina Di Bonaventura
Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (I.R.C.C.S.), Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00100 Rome, Italy
Domenico Gerardo Iacopino
Neurosurgical Clinic, AOUP “Paolo Giaccone”, Post Graduate Residency Program in Neurologic Surgery, Department of Biomedicine Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
Rosario Maugeri
Neurosurgical Clinic, AOUP “Paolo Giaccone”, Post Graduate Residency Program in Neurologic Surgery, Department of Biomedicine Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
(1) Background: Treatment of cancer-related pain is still challenging, and it can be managed by both medical and interventional therapies. Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) is a minimally invasive technique, and its use is rapidly increasing in the treatment of chronic pain. (2) Materials and Methods: Our study aims to perform a review of the pertinent literature about current evidences in cancer pain treatment by Spinal Cord Stimulation. Moreover, we created a database based on case reports or case series (18 studies) in the literature. We analyzed a clinical group of oncological patients affected by intractable pain undergoing SCS implantation, focusing on outcome. (3) Results: The analysis of the 18 included studies in our series has shown a reduction in painful symptoms in 48 out of 56 treated patients (87.51%); also 53 out of 56 patients (96.64%) have shown an improvement in their Quality of Life (QoL). (4) Conclusions: Spinal Cord Stimulation can be considered an efficient method in the treatment of cancer-related pain. However, literature regarding SCS for the treatment of cancer-related pain is largely represented by case reports and small case series, with no effective population studies or Randomized Controlled Trials demonstrating the efficacy and the level of evidence. Further prospective studies are needed.
