1. A nationwide neurosurgical inter-disciplinary service for cancer-related refractory pain.
- Author
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khashan, Morsi, Strauss, Ido, Hochberg, Yehonathan, Brill, Silviu, Tellem, Rotem, Sharon, Haggai, and Hochberg, Uri
- Subjects
CANCER treatment ,NEUROSURGERY ,ABLATION techniques ,INTERPROFESSIONAL relations ,RETROSPECTIVE studies ,CANCER patients ,DESCRIPTIVE statistics ,CANCER pain ,OPERATIVE surgery ,PAIN management ,MEDICAL records ,ACQUISITION of data ,HEALTH care teams ,SPECIALTY hospitals - Abstract
Purpose: Neurosurgical ablative procedures, such as cordotomy and cingulotomy, are often considered irreversible and destructive but can provide an effective and individualized solution for cancer-related refractory pain, when all other approaches have been unsuccessful. This paper provides an in-depth exploration of a novel approach to managing refractory cancer pain. It involves an interdisciplinary team led by a neurosurgeon at a renowned national referral center. Methods: a retrospective analysis of the medical records of all sequential patients who underwent their initial evaluation at our interdisciplinary refractory cancer pain clinic from February 2017 to January 2023. Results: A total of 207 patients were examined in the clinic for a first visit during the study period. All patients were referred to the clinic due to severe pain that was deemed refractory by the referring physician. The mean age was 61 ± 12.3 years, with no significant sex difference (P = 0.58). The mean ECOG Performance Status score was 2.35. Conservative measures had not yet been exhausted in 28 patients (14%) and 9 patients were well controlled (4%). Neurosurgical ablative procedures were recommended for 151 (73%) of the patients. Sixty-six patients (32%) eventually underwent the procedure. 91 patients (44%) received a negative recommendation for surgery. Thirty-five patients (17%) were referred for further invasive procedures at the pain clinic. Conclusion: An Interdisciplinary cooperation between palliative care specialists, pain specialists, and neurosurgeons ensures optimal patient selection and provides safe and effective neurosurgery for the treatment of refractory cancer-related pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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