Comparison on the efficacy of EUS-guided celiac plexus radiation and celiac plexus neurolysis in treating abdominal pain of advanced pancreatic cancer / 中华胰腺病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of endoscopic ultrasonography-guided celiac plexus radiation with iodine-125 (125I) seeds and celiac plexus neurolysis with absolute ethanol for pain relief secondary to advanced pancreatic cancer.Methods A retrospective analysis of 43 patients of advanced pancreatic cancer with moderate to severe abdominal pain in the Department of Gastroenterology,Shanghai Changhai Hospital from January 2017 to April 2018 was performed.20 patients underwent EUS-guided celiac plexus neurolysis (CPN),and 23 patients underwent EUS-guided celiac plexus radiation (CPR) with the implantation of 125I seeds around the celiac ganglia.The postoperative VAS score of abdominal pain,mean analgesic (MS Contin [morphine sulfate]) consumption and complications were compared between the two groups.Results There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in the sex ratio (male/female,10/10 vs 14/9),average age [(64 ± 11) vs (64 ± 12)],lesion location (head/tail,7/13 vs 8/15] and TNM stage (Ⅲ/Ⅳ,9/11 vs 7/16),and the two groups were comparable.Compared with preoperative ones,the VAS score (3.0 points vs 5.5 points) and morphine dosage (30 mg vs 52.5 mg) were significantly lower in the CPN group one week after operation.In the CPR group,the VAS score (5.0 points vs 6.0 points) and morphine dosage (50 mg vs 55 mg) at 2 weeks after the operation were lower than those before the operation;the VAS scores of 4,8 and 12 weeks after the operation decreased to 3.0 points,and the dosage of morphine decreased to 30 mg,25 mg and 30 mg,respectively.The differences were statistically significant (P＜0.0001).Compared with the CPR group,at 2 weeks postoperatively the CPN group demonstrated a significantly higher decrease of VAS score (3.0 points vs 2.0 points),degree of morphine reduction (30 mg vs 10 mg) and rate of partial pain relief (70.0％ vs 4.3％).However,from 4 to 12 weeks postoperatively,the decrease in VAS score,the decrease in the dosage of MS Contin and the rate of partial pain relief in the CPR group were all significantly higher than those in the CPN group (P ＜ 0.05).There was no complete relief of pain in the two groups.No procedure-related deaths or serious complications were observed and only mild gastrointestinal adverse reactions occurred.Conclusions Two methods can both relieve abdominal pain in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer safely and effectively.CPR takes effect late but has advantages of good extent and long duration of pain relief.