Neuropathic Pain in Pancreatic Cancer: An Update of the Last Five Years

Pain is the main symptom of pancreatic cancer (pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, PDAC). in may be visceral, somatic or neuropathic origin. produced by tissue damage, inflammation, obstruction and infiltration. Visceral nociceptive signals caused damage to upper abdominal viscera are carried along sympathetic fibers, which travel celiac plexus nerves ganglia, found at T12-L2 vertebral levels, anterolateral aorta near trunk. From here, transmitted through splanchnic T5-T12 dorsal root ganglia then on higher centers central nervous system. Somatic pain arise from tumor extension into surrounding peritoneum, retroperitoneum bones and, latter case, nerves, such as lumbosacral plexus. It should also noted that other types might because therapeutic interventions, post-chemoradiation syndromes, cause mucositis enteritis. Management with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents narcotics was mainstay therapy. In recent years, blocks neurolysis, well intrathecal therapies have been used control severe pain, times resulting a decreased need for drugs, avoiding their unwanted side effects. impair patient’s quality life, negatively affecting patient outcome increased psychological stress. Even after recognizing negative effect overall health, studies shown still undertreated. This review focuses difficult handle; thus, most literature reviewed order diagnose its management.