The Relief of Nociceptive Pain Induced by Panitumumab Could be Sustainable during Chemotherapy

• Shu Yuasa

  Department of Pharmacy, Nagoya Memorial Hospital, Nagoya, Japan

• Ryuichi Furuta

  Department of Medical Oncology, Nagoya Memorial Hospital, Nagoya, Japan

• Megumi Kabeya

  Department of Pharmacy, Nagoya Memorial Hospital, Nagoya, Japan and Palliative Care Team, Nagoya Memorial Hospital, Nagoya, Japan

• Yuko Shirokawa

  Nursing Department, Nagoya Memorial Hospital, Nagoya, Japan

• Satoshi Hibi

  Department of Pharmacy, Nagoya Memorial Hospital, Nagoya, Japan

• Seiji Nagao

  Department of Medical Examination, Nagoya Memorial Hospital, Japan

• Shozo Togawa

  Department of Gastroenterology, Nagoya Memorial Hospital, Nagoya, Japan

• Satoshi Kayukawa

  Department of Clinical Oncology, Nagoya Memorial Hospital, Japan

• Kenji Ina

  Department of Geriatric Medicine, Shinseikai Dai-ichi Hospital, Nagoya Japan

  https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8646-0611

Anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibodies and tyrosine kinase inhibitors, which are molecular-targeted drugs used in cancer treatment, are suspected to have analgesic effects on cancer-related pain. The relieving effect of EGFR inhibitors on neuropathic pain has been described to persist for approximately 20 days in patients with colorectal cancer. Since the administration of panitumumab, ananti-EGFR antibody, is repeated every 14 days, its relieving effect on cancer-related pain should be maintained until the next administration. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the chronological changes in symptoms before and two and 14 days after administration. A retrospective study using electrical patient charts demonstrated that the analgesic effects of panitumumab sustained in 8 out of ten patients with colorectal cancer (80%) until the start of next cycle of chemotherapy. The relief of nociceptive pain can be maintained in most of the patients during chemotherapy by repeated use of this agent, once pain relief has been achieved.

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