Clinical Characteristics of Noncancer-Related Upper Back Pain on Initiation of Palliative Care in Patients with Incurable Cancer.

Background

Cancer patients experience various types of pain unrelated to their malignancy. However, no previous study has reported the prevalence of noncancer-related pain among patients with incurable cancer.

Objective

We aimed to investigate the frequency of noncancer-related upper back pain, the type of noncancer disease, and pain intensity among patients.

Design

This is a multicenter cross-sectional survey. Setting/Subjects: Subjects were patients with incurable cancer who underwent initiation of palliative care at two university hospitals in Japan. Measurements: Data for patient characteristics were recorded, and the upper back pain intensity, duration, analgesic use, and opioid drug use with dose were determined. Appropriate statistical tests were also performed.

Results

Among the 103 patients with upper back pain, 20 (19.4%) had cancer-related pain, 28 (27.2%) had both cancer- and noncancer-related pain, and 53 (51.5%) had only noncancer-related pain. Myofascial pain was suspected in the 72 (88.9%) participants with noncancer-related pain. The median pain numerical rating scale score was four in the cancer-related pain group and seven in the other two groups (p = 0.005).

Conclusions

A high proportion of outpatients with incurable cancer undergoing palliative care initiation had noncancer-related upper back pain. Severe pain at the initiation of palliative care in patients with incurable cancer may include noncancer-related pain. Trial Registration: UMIN000038371. Registered December 1, 2019.