ReviewJournal of anesthesia, analgesia and critical care2024
Erector spinae plane block for cancer pain relief: a systematic review.
Review in Journal of anesthesia, analgesia and critical care, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Comparison of the analgesic effects of ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block and quadratus lumborum block: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025Pooled it
- Comparison of quadro-iliac plane block and erector spinae plane block for postoperative analgesia management after single level lumbar discectomy surgery: a randomized, double-blind, controlled, prospective, multicenter study.Journal of anesthesia · 2026Trial
- Fascial Plane Blocks for Analgesia in Non-Operating Room Anesthesia Settings.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Review
- A narrative review on fascial plane blocks - Part B: Clinical applications, practical considerations, and future directions.Indian journal of anaesthesia · 2026Review
- Erector spinae plane block for acute pain management of pancreatic cancer at the emergency department.The ultrasound journal · 2025Article
- Evaluating the Efficacy of Cervical Erector Spinae Plane Block Using Ultrasound Versus Fluoroscopic Guidance for Cervical Pain: A Case Series.Anesthesiology and pain medicine · 2025Article
- The Application of Erector Spinae Plane Block in Chronic Pain Management: From Anatomical Mechanisms to Clinical Innovations.Journal of pain research · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDespite advances in pain management, cancer-related pain remains a critical issue for many patients. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the use of fascial plane blocks, such as the Erector Spinae Plane Block (ESPB), for managing chronic pain, including in the oncology field. We conducted a systematic review to synthetize existing evidence on the use of ESPB for cancer pain management.
methodsWe selected studies published between January 2016 to April 2024. A systematic search in Pubmed and Embase databases was performed. The search strategy included the following keywords and/or MeSH terms according to the controlled vocabulary of the databases sought: ((erector spinae plane block) OR (ESP block) OR (ESPB) AND ((cancer pain). We considered eligible Randomized, nonrandomized studies, case series and case reports reporting data on the use of ESPB in patients with cancer pain.
resultsThe search revealed 34 studies. Among these, we found one RCT, three retrospective studies, two case series, and 28 case reports for a total of 135 patients. Studies included described the use of ESPB for the management of various types of cancer pain across different conditions, including chronic thoracic cancer-related pain, abdominal visceral pain and pain related to bone metastases. Single-shot ESPB was performed in 26 studies while continuous ESPB and the use of a peripheral nerve catheter for continuous analgesia were described in 8 studies. Neurolytic ESPB was performed in 6 studies for a total of 10 patients There was a high clinical heterogeneity in terms of technique, drugs, and use of adjuvants. The lack of comparators was a major flaw, together with the low level of evidence in the majority of the included studies.
conclusionsThe evidence supporting the use of ESPB for cancer pain management is currently scarce, heterogeneous, and of low quality. To better understand its potential and provide robust clinical guidance, future research needs to focus on rigorous comparative studies, standardization of techniques and larger sample sizes.
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