Klepstad, P., Kurita, G.P., Mercadante, S., & Sjogren, P. (2015). Evidence of peripheral nerve blocks for cancer-related pain: A systematic review. Minerva Anestesiologica, 81, 789–793.

STUDY PURPOSE: Review the available evidence in literature to determine the effectiveness on the use of peripheral nerve blocks to treat cancer pain in adult patients.

TYPE OF STUDY: Systematic review

DATABASES USED: PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane

YEARS INCLUDED: All available data through February 2014

INCLUSION CRITERIA: No experimental studies of effectiveness of peripheral nerve blocks, adult patients with chronic cancer pain, data includes pain level outcomes, English language.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Double publications, management of postoperative pain, studies involving non-cancer patients, lack of pain assessment, experimental studies.

TOTAL REFERENCES RETRIEVED: 155

EVALUATION METHOD AND COMMENTS ON LITERATURE USED: Only case reports were used in the systematic review. No randomized controlled trials were retrieved.

FINAL NUMBER STUDIES INCLUDED: 16 

TOTAL PATIENTS INCLUDED IN REVIEW: 79

SAMPLE RANGE ACROSS STUDIES: The cancer diagnoses were identified, but not limited to, thoracic, tongue, renal, breast, lung, and ovarian. Some cases involved metastasis.

KEY SAMPLE CHARACTERISTICS: Patients with cancer, different diagnoses

PHASE OF CARE: Not specified or not applicable     
APPLICATIONS: Palliative care

Majority of cases yielded adequate pain relief with few side effects reported.

No conclusion can be made based on the lack of formal evidence. Greater than four types of nerve blocks were included in the 16 reviews.

• Limited number of studies included
• High heterogeneity
• Limited evidence

Although pain control is reported with peripheral nerve blocks, lack of sufficient evidence exists to support this intervention in practice based on this review.