Pain is one of the most common symptoms in patients with cancer. Given the similarity between neurophysiological pathways and pathogenetic mechanisms underlying the onset of pain in humans and animals, it is likely that veterinary patients with cancer experience pain. Cancer pain is generally produced by invasion of somatic, visceral and nervous tissues by the neoplasia and by the consequent inflammatory response; however it can also be secondary to antineoplastic therapy or diagnostics procedures. The main events contributing to cancer pain are: I) release of pro-inflammatory mediators, which activate the pain pathways causing peripheral and central sensitization; 2) establishment of apoptotic events and increase of osteoclastic activity (in bone tumours), that results in pH reduction and activation of nociceptors; 3) release of growth factors, produced by tumour growth and by consequent tissues invasion; 4) compression of the afferent nerve terminals by the tumour growth. Knowledge of the etiopathogenesis of a disease is essential for a correct diagnostic and therapeutic approach, thus it is very important to know how cancer pain arises and develops. This facilitates the appropriate choice of therapeutic protocols, which have to be progressively modified according to the progression of the pathology
Etiopathogenesîs of cancer pain in companion animals
DELLA ROCCA, Giorgia;DI SALVO, Alessandra;CATANZARO, ALICE;MECHELLI, Luca
2012
Abstract
Pain is one of the most common symptoms in patients with cancer. Given the similarity between neurophysiological pathways and pathogenetic mechanisms underlying the onset of pain in humans and animals, it is likely that veterinary patients with cancer experience pain. Cancer pain is generally produced by invasion of somatic, visceral and nervous tissues by the neoplasia and by the consequent inflammatory response; however it can also be secondary to antineoplastic therapy or diagnostics procedures. The main events contributing to cancer pain are: I) release of pro-inflammatory mediators, which activate the pain pathways causing peripheral and central sensitization; 2) establishment of apoptotic events and increase of osteoclastic activity (in bone tumours), that results in pH reduction and activation of nociceptors; 3) release of growth factors, produced by tumour growth and by consequent tissues invasion; 4) compression of the afferent nerve terminals by the tumour growth. Knowledge of the etiopathogenesis of a disease is essential for a correct diagnostic and therapeutic approach, thus it is very important to know how cancer pain arises and develops. This facilitates the appropriate choice of therapeutic protocols, which have to be progressively modified according to the progression of the pathologyI documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
