Correlations Between Serum Levels Of Endothelin-1and Breakthrough Pain In Patients With Cancer

Background:This study aims to assess the degree of pain outbreak in patients with the peripheral blood endothelin-1(ET-1) expression levels, explore the relations of ET-1expression and breakthrough cancer pain.Methods:20cases aged between30-70presented with breakthrough pain were assigned to breakthrough pain group (group I);20cases aged between30-70without breakthrough pain were assigned to no breakthrough pain group (group II).Normal20cases aged between30-70were assigned to control group (group III). The levers of plasma ET-1were determinated in all groups; The VAS scores in group I and group II were evaluated. All clinical data were recorded.Results:1.No differences were found in the patients’age, and gender among groups (P>0.05).2.There were significant differences in the plasma level of ET-1among three groups.(P<0.05).3.There were significant differences in VAS score between group I (7.45±0.82) and group Ⅱ (2.80±1.23)(P<0.05); the ET-1levels were correlated to the VAS scores in group I and group II.(0.05level,bilateral).4.There were no significant differences in the plasma level of ET-1and VAS scores among six kinds of tumor types in group I and among five kinds of tumor types in group Ⅱ respectively. Conclusion:The ET-1levels of patients presented with the breakthrough pain were higher than those of patients not presented with the breakthrough pain and normal levels. Of ET-I levels above30pg/ml in patients whose tumors are more prone to the breakthrough pain.