Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39754697›Full record

SynthesisCurrent pain and headache reports2025

Efficacy of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation in Management of Cancer Pain: a Meta Analysis.

Alan D Kaye, Kaitlyn E Allen, Shivam S Shah, Summer A Smith, Taylor R Plaisance, Amy E Brouillette, Dani'elle J Despanie, Tayler D Payton, Ross Rieger, Naina Singh and 3 more

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Current pain and headache reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Alan D KayeDepartments of Anesthesiology and Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Neurosciences, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
Kaitlyn E AllenLouisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.
Shivam S ShahLouisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport School of Medicine, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
Summer A SmithLouisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.
Taylor R PlaisanceLouisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.
Amy E BrouilletteLouisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.
Dani'elle J DespanieLouisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.
Tayler D PaytonLouisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.
Ross RiegerDepartment of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
Naina SinghDepartment of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
Shahab AhmadzadehDepartment of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
Sonja GennusoDepartment of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
Sahar ShekoohiDepartment of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA. sahar.shekoohi@lsuhs.edu.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purpose of reviewThe present investigation assesses efficacy of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on relief of cancer or chemotherapy-related pain. Patients with cancer experience a relatively high prevalence of pain that is reportedly undertreated. Therefore, this analysis is pertinent to determine if TENS is a useful complementary therapy considering its increase in accessibility and minimal side effect profile. RECENT

findingsA systematic search for eligible studies from PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane, and Embase was performed. The present investigation elucidated any significant differences between change in numeric rating scale of average and maximum pain scores between a TENS and non-TENS group. A nonsignificant difference was reported between TENS and non-TENS, with a mean difference of - 0.393 (95% CI - 1.780, 0.993; P = 0.578). For change in maximum pain reported, a nonsignificant difference was also found, with a mean difference of 0.128 (95% CI - 1.158, 1.414; P = 0.845).

conclusionRelated to various limitations of this meta-analysis, no definitive conclusions could be concluded regarding efficacy of TENS in the treatment of cancer or chemotherapy-related pain. Additional randomized primary studies with standardized treatment protocols and pain measurements are needed for future meta-analysis and recommendations for clinical practice.

Indexed as

Cancer PainPain ManagementTranscutaneous Electric Nerve StimulationHumansNeoplasmsPain MeasurementTreatment OutcomeCancerChemotherapyComplementary medicinePainTENSTranscutaneous electrical nerve stimulation

Identifiers

PMID39754697

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.