Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42536352›Full record

ReviewPain research & management2026

Breaking Through Cancer Pain: From Single-Drug Management to Multimodal Analgesia.

Yating Xu, Shu Xu, Bo Huang, Zefeng Wang, He Liu, Jing Zhuang

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Pain research & management, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

6 authors.

Yating XuHuzhou Central Hospital, Fifth School of Clinical Medicine of Zhejiang Chinese, Medical University, Huzhou, Zhejiang, China, gumed.edu.pl.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0007-3985-335X
Shu XuHuzhou Central Hospital, Fifth School of Clinical Medicine of Zhejiang Chinese, Medical University, Huzhou, Zhejiang, China, gumed.edu.pl.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0007-3819-8699
Bo HuangHuzhou Central Hospital, Fifth School of Clinical Medicine of Zhejiang Chinese, Medical University, Huzhou, Zhejiang, China, gumed.edu.pl.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4064-1693
Zefeng WangCollege of Information Engineering, Huzhou Normal University, Huzhou, Zhejiang, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8735-7560
He LiuHuzhou Central Hospital, Fifth School of Clinical Medicine of Zhejiang Chinese, Medical University, Huzhou, Zhejiang, China, gumed.edu.pl.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4103-312X
Jing ZhuangHuzhou Central Hospital, Fifth School of Clinical Medicine of Zhejiang Chinese, Medical University, Huzhou, Zhejiang, China, gumed.edu.pl.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6910-8824

Funding

"Integration of Medicine, Industry and Information" Collaborative Innovation Center Fund of Yangtze Delta RegionKey Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education 202311KFY00102National Natural Science Foundation of China NSFC81300957National Natural Science Foundation of China NSFC82171227Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province LY22H090019Zhejiang Province Cerebrovascular Disease Diagnosis and Treatment of Traditional Chinese Medicine Multidisciplinary Innovation Team Project
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCancer pain affects 60%-80% of patients with advanced cancer, and approximately 30% of patients experience inadequate pain control. Although the World Health Organization (WHO) three-step analgesic ladder has substantially improved pain management, inadequate analgesia, opioid-related adverse effects, and refractory pain continue to pose significant clinical challenges.

objectiveThis narrative review critically evaluates recent advances in cancer pain management, including novel analgesics, optimized opioid formulations, nanomedicine, invasive interventions (intrathecal drug delivery, neuromodulation, and neurolysis), and complementary integrative therapies, aiming to provide up-to-date insights for clinicians and researchers.

resultsNovel analgesics targeting μ-opioid receptor bias, ion channels, and multitarget strategies have shown preclinical promise. Improved opioid formulations and nanomedicine-based approaches may enhance drug delivery and reduce toxicity. Fourth-step interventions, including intrathecal drug delivery, neuromodulation, and neurolysis, provide targeted options for selected patients with refractory cancer pain. Integrative therapies, including mind-body interventions, acupuncture, massage, music therapy, and game-based approaches, may improve symptom burden and quality of life, although evidence for direct analgesic effects remains limited.

conclusionCancer pain management is evolving toward a multimodal and increasingly personalized framework. Despite substantial progress, many emerging therapies lack robust cancer-specific validation. High-quality clinical trials, standardized treatment protocols, and improved translational strategies are needed to establish evidence-based precision cancer pain management.

Indexed as

AnalgesiaAnalgesicsCancer PainPain ManagementAnalgesics, OpioidAnimalsCombined Modality TherapyHumansAnalgesicsAnalgesics, Opioidcancer painintegrative therapiesintrathecal drug deliverynanomedicineneuromodulation

Identifiers

PMID42536352
PMCPMC13426482

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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 Socratic graph.