NEUROMODULATION IN CANCER SURVIVORS

People are living longer after a cancer diagnosis and may experience pain either as a result of the originalmalignancy, or its treatment. However, the practice of pain medicine is progressing and can help reduce to theburden of suffering from cancer-associated pain. Not only can attending to pain bring relief, it can also impactoverall wellness and resiliency. Pain is multifactorial. Medical terms for different types of pain includenociceptive (from the bones or soft tissue), neuropathic (based in nerves, such as from nerve compression ordamage), and sympathetic (involving organs and body cavities).Interventional techniques to control cancer-associated pain include : injection therapy, bony tumor stabilization,nerve destruction, and pain-signal modulation with electrical stimulation and implanted drug delivery devices.Implantable devices address resistant pain by changing the electrical signals of pain received by the brain.Electrical stimulation treats an area affected by nerve pain. Small electrodes are implanted in the spine oralong the peripheral nerves and connected to a pulse generator. Current pulses through the electrodes toproduce a sensation of vibration in the area of pain.This sensation overrides the pain signal and therebyreduces pain recognition by the brain.Stimulation improves pain without impacting cognitive and bowelfunction, thereby improving quality of life.Drug delivery devices infuse pain medication into the spine. Delivering medications directly to the spinal cordresults in improved pain relief with fewer side effects of opioids.Under-treated pain associated with cancer diminishes quality of life and intensifies the suffering of patients andtheir families. In patients whose pain is not adequately controlled with traditional measures or who suffer fromside effects of medications, these implantable devices allow patients to return to an improved quality of life andgreater independence.