A Clinical Investigation: Study on Psychosocial Characteristics, Social Support and Intervention Strategies of Outpatient Cancer Pain Patients

Background and Objective: The presence of pain in cancer patients is a prevalent concomitant symptom, exerting significant impacts on their physical, psychological, and social functioning. However, the psychological and social aspects are often overlooked. This study aims to explore the factors influencing the provision of psychological and social support for patients experiencing cancer-related pain while proposing intervention measures to enhance treatment compliance, confidence levels, and overall quality of life. Materials and Methods: According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 108 patients with moderate to severe advanced cancer pain who had received outpatient analgesia treatment for at least one month were selected as the study subjects. The psychological characteristics and social support of these patients were further examined using the Self-Rating Symptom Scale (SCL-90) and Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS). The influencing factors were compared with the national norms. Results: The total score of SCL-90 was significantly different from that of the domestic norm (P < 0.05), and the total score of social support was significantly different from that of the domestic norm (P < 0.01). In addition to hostile symptoms, Somatic, obsessive, sensitive, depression, anxiety, terror, paranoia, psychosis and other symptoms were correlated with subjective support (P 0.05). Conclusion: Patients with cancer pain are more vulnerable to physical symptoms, psychological distress, lack of social support, and other contributing factors. Implementing standardized treatment protocols can effectively alleviate physical symptoms while also emphasizing the importance of psychosocial interventions to address negative emotions and enhance social support. By bolstering patient confidence through these measures, we can ultimately improve treatment outcomes and enhance patients’ overall quality of life.

Effects of Curcumin on Biological Behavior and NF-κB/TNF-α Pathway in Mice with Metastatic Bone Pain of Breast Cancer Induced by Walker 256 Cells

Background. The active ingredient curcumin of traditional Chinese medicine was selected as the research object to investigate the possible mechanism of breast cancer metastatic bone pain in mouse walker 256 cells and the effect of curcumin on the NF-κB/TNF-α pathway in order to provide a new idea for clinical treatment of breast cancer metastatic bone pain. Methods. By establishing an animal model of breast cancer bone metastasis in walker 256 cells, the biological behavior of nude mice was observed on the 8th day after successful modeling. Meanwhile, the low dose group, middle dose group and high dose group of mice were given 15 mg/kg, 25 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg of curcumin solution intraperitoneally in 21 days, and the right cavity bone and spinal cord distended in mice (L4-L6) tissues were used to detect related factors, Immunohistochemical method was used to detect c-fos in spinal cord. Expression levels of RANK, NF-κB and TNF-α were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. Meanwhile, serum levels of Cox2, il-6, leukotriene and PGE2 were detected. Results. Observing the biological behavior index of nude mice, we found that the mechanical pain and thermal pain threshold decreased (p < 0.05), and the cold pain and spontaneous pain scores increased significantly (p < 0.05). After group study, the expression of c-fos in the cancer pain model group was significantly higher than that in the normal control group (p < 0.05), and with the increase of curcumin dose, the expression of c-fos in the high dose group was significantly lower than that in the solvent model group (p < 0.05). The expression of RANK, NF-κB, TNF-α was higher than that of the normal control group and decreased gradually with the increase of curcumin dose, among which the expression of high dose group was significantly lower than that of solvent group (p < 0.05). RANK, NF-κB, TNF-α protein expression was higher than that of normal control group and gradually decreased with the increase of curcumin dose. The levels of Cox2, IL-6, leukotriene and PGE2 in serum decreased with the increase of curcumin dose, and the high dose group decreased significantly (p < 0.05). Conclusions. On the 8th day after the success of the animal model of breast cancer bone metastasis in Walker 256 cells, abnormal biological behaviors such as heat pain, cold pain sensation and spontaneous hyperalgesia were observed. Further studies have found that the increased expression of rank on osteoclasts induced up-regulated expression of NF-κB and c-fos, induced expression of TNF-α gene, and could induce synthesis and release of leukotriene, PGE2 through direct activation of cyclooxygenase, inflammatory media IL-6 cascade reaction, resulting in pathological pain and hypersensitivity. Traditional Chinese medicine active ingredient curcumin could reduce RANK expression of osteoclast, inhibit cell NF-κB and spinal cord c-fos activity, reduce TNF-α expression, inhibit Cox2 activity, and reduce the synthesis and release of inflammatory factors leukotriene and PGE2, thus exerting its analgesic effect, which provides new ideas and methods for clinical treatment of metastatic bone pain in breast cancer.

Focus on Cancer Pain at Home: A Prospective Study of Quality of Life and Its Influencing Factors on Patients

Background and Aims: The treatment of patients with advanced cancer pain is mainly concentrated in the outpatient department, and most of the time in their family, these patients are easy to be ignored, To study the quality of life and its influencing factors of cancer pain patients at home is of great significance to improve the quality of life of patients. Meanwhile, it provides theoretical and practical basis for medical personnel to develop and implement individualized comprehensive intervention programs. Patients and Methods: According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 200 patients with cancer pain at home are selected to treat, and their quality of life conditions are observed before treatment, 1 week after treatment and 1 month after treatment, and their influencing factors are analyzed. Results: The patients’ scores of body function, emotional function, cognitive function and social function exist significant difference before and after treatment (p scores of role function and the overall evaluation scores before and after treatment, two stages after treatment exist significant difference (p < 0.01), the symptoms scores of fatigue, pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting are significant differences before and after treatment (p appetite loss score before a month and a week after treatment and treatment exists significant difference (p the scores of constipation symptom before treatment and a month after treatment exist significant difference (p < 0.01), only gender on cognitive function before treatment has significant difference (p . One week after treatment, tumor staging and metastasis have impact on overall health evaluation, role function, cognitive function and emotional function (p The location of metastasis and the type of pain affect the role function and emotional function respectively (p . One month after treatment, age, metastasis, metastasis site and pain type have influence on cognitive function, emotional function, overall health evaluation and role function respectively (p The overall health status, body function, role function, emotional function, cognitive function and social function of the patients are lower than those of the Norwegian norm (p < 0.001). The symptoms of pain, appetite, constipation, nausea and vomiting are higher than those of the Norwegian norm before and after treatment (p There was a significant positive correlation between quality of life and total score of social support (p < 0.01). Objective support and subjective support were positively correlated with quality of life (p Conclusion: Cognitive interventions should be individualized. The effectiveness of cancer treatment and the control of cancer recurrence and metastasis have influence on the quality of life of patients with cancer pain at home. Although the patients’ function indexes have been improved after treatment, there exist differences in the improvement after treatment. The symptoms of nausea, vomiting, pain and appetite should be intervened promptly. The management of symptoms such as dyspnea, fatigue, constipation should be focused persistently. Objective support and subjective support were the influencing factors of patients’ quality of life, the construction of social support system should be strengthened, we should help them to overcome negative emotions, return to normal family and social roles, seek help in a positive manner and use support to improve the quality of life.