Purpose: Psychological symptoms are a common part of the cancer pain experience, yet little is known about how these factors relate to implantable device outcomes in patients with cancer pain. The purpose of this study was to examine how psychological symptoms relate to implantable device outcomes in cancer pain management.
Methods: We retrospectively examined the medical records of 79 cancer patients, collecting information on psychological symptoms and pain, as assessed on the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System. Data were collected prior to and at three points following the implantation of either a spinal cord stimulator or an intrathecal pump.
Results: Pain was correlated with both anxiety, r = 0.39 (n = 74, p < 0.01), and depression, r = 0.38, (n = 75, p < 0.01), at the presurgery baseline. Results of linear mixed model (LMM) analysis indicated that neither baseline anxiety nor baseline depression main effects were significantly associated with pain at postimplant assessments, when adjusting for baseline pain, demographics, and clinical factors. However, the group-by-time interaction was significant for anxiety (beta = 0.223, p value = 0.037). The trajectory of pain scores over time differed by baseline anxiety scores, with pain scores increasing over time at a higher rate for those with a high baseline anxiety score, compared to those with low baseline anxiety scores.
Conclusion: Presurgery psychological symptoms should be considered, along with other medical, psychosocial, and individual characteristics in multidisciplinary treatment planning. Multidisciplinary care which includes aspects of mood management or supportive psychotherapy would likely be beneficial to cancer patients presenting with high psychological symptoms.