463: The Effect of C2 Continuous Radiofrequency to Treat Cancer induced Occipital Neuralgia

Topic: Clinical Science
Subtopic: Pain category (ICD-11), Chronic cancer related pain, Non-pharmacological treatments

Background and Aims: Cancer induced occipital neuralgia is a special type of cancer pain. It is often associated with pituitary tumors and nasopharyngeal carcinoma in clinic. This because that C2 dorsal root ganglion emits nerve fibers by passing through bony foramina of the skull to innervate the posterior cranial fossa. In this study, we investigated the effect of C2 continuous radiofrequency (CRF) to treat cancer induced occipital neuralgia.

Methods: We recruited 20 pituitary tumors or nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with occipital neuralgia from the department of pain management, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. Ten patients were received C2 CRF, and the control patients were received opioid analgesia. The pain scores, pain relief rate, opioid doses, sleep quality, and anxiety and depression scores were evaluated at baseline and on days 7, 14, and 30 post-treatments. The adverse reactions such as nausea/vomiting, constipation, dizziness, and impaired consciousness were also collected.

Results: Patients received C2 CRF provided fast and effective pain relief for patients. the pain scores were decreased immediately after C2 CRF treatment, with a pain relief rate. The opioids doses of C2 CRF patients were lower than those in control patients. However, some patients had worsening of pain in the first week after C2 CRF because of nerve edema. C2 nerve blocking could decrease nerve edema induced pain. Sleep quality was increased and anxiety and depression scores were decrease in C2 CRF patients. Nausea, vomiting and constipation were decreased in C2 CRF patients after treatment because of opioid decrease.

Conclusions: C2 CRF was an effectively method to treat occipital neuralgia induced by pituitary tumors and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. It induced rapid decrease of cancer patients’ pain scores and opioid doses and improve life quality. For patients with advanced-stage pituitary tumors and nasopharyngeal carcinoma, this is an effective and low-cost treatment method.

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Presenting Author: Huilian Bu
Submitting Author: Huilian Bu

Senior Author: Xiaochong Fan

IASP 2026 Global Year theme of Neuropathic Pain: Yes

• Xiaochong Fan: Prof - the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University,Zhengzhou, China
• Hongyu Yu: Master's Student - the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
• Jiahao Wu: Master's Student - the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
• Cong Li: Master's Student - the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
• Kangqi Zhai: Bachelor‘s degree - Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China