Purpose: Scrambler therapy is a non-invasive neurocutaneous electrical pain intervention, effective for the treatment of neuropathic pain. Currently, few data about the efficacy of this treatment in cancer pain induced by skeletal and visceral metastases are available. The aim of this single-center case series is to evaluate the efficacy of scrambler therapy in reducing this kind of cancer pain after failure of standard treatments, including pharmacological therapies and radiation therapy. Methods: Twenty-five consecutive patients underwent scrambler therapy individually delivered by MC5-A Calmare for 10 daily sessions each of 30–40 min. Pain was measured by a numeric rating scale at baseline, as well as before and after each treatment session. Results: One hundred percent of patients reached a pain relief ≥50 %. Pain score was reduced from 8.4 at baseline to 2.9 after treatment, with a mean pain relief of 89 %. The sleeping hours improved from 4.4 ± 1.2 to 7.5 ± 1.1. The duration of pain control by scrambler therapy was 7.7 ± 5.3 weeks. No adverse events were observed. Conclusion: Scrambler therapy does not present toxicity and allows opioids dosage reduction, and it is also a repeatable treatment. Present novel data support that scrambler therapy seems to be effective for the treatment of cancer pain. Further evaluation in randomized and controlled clinical trials should be performed to confirm our findings.
Pilot evaluation of scrambler therapy for pain induced by bone and visceral metastases and refractory to standard therapies / P. Notaro, C.A. Dell’Agnola, A.J. Dell’Agnola, A. Amatu, K.B. Bencardino, S. Siena. - In: SUPPORTIVE CARE IN CANCER. - ISSN 0941-4355. - 24:4(2016 Apr), pp. 1649-1654.
Titolo: | Pilot evaluation of scrambler therapy for pain induced by bone and visceral metastases and refractory to standard therapies |
Autori: | NOTARO, PAOLO (Primo) SIENA, SALVATORE (Ultimo) |
Parole Chiave: | Calmare®; Electroanalgesia; Metastatic bone and visceral pain; Scrambler therapy; Untreatable cancer pain; Oncology |
Settore Scientifico Disciplinare: | Settore MED/06 - Oncologia Medica |
Data di pubblicazione: | apr-2016 |
Rivista: | |
Tipologia: | Article (author) |
Data ahead of print / Data di stampa: | 26-set-2015 |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI): | http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00520-015-2952-x |
Appare nelle tipologie: | 01 - Articolo su periodico |
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