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Evidence summaries

Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation (Tens) for Cancer Pain in Adults

There is insufficient evidence to judge whether TENS should be used to manage cancer-related and cancer treatment-related pain. Level of evidence: "D"

A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 33 studies with a total of 88 subjects. These studies were heterogenous with respect to study population, sample size, study design, methodological quality, mode of TENS, treatment duration, method of administration and outcome measures used. In one RCT, there were no significant differences between TENS and placebo in women with chronic pain secondary to breast cancer treatment. In the other RCT, there were no significant differences between acupuncture-type TENS and sham in palliative care patients; this study was underpowered.

Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by inconsistency (heterogeneity in interventions and outcomes), by imprecise results (few patients and wide confidence intervals) and study quality.

    References

    • Hurlow A, Bennett MI, Robb KA et al. Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) for cancer pain in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2012;(3):CD006276. [PubMed]

Primary/Secondary Keywords