[Progress in the basic research on neurobiological mechanisms of cancer pain]

Abstract

Pain shows the most disruptive influence on the quality of the life of cancer patients. However, the basic neurobiology of cancer pain is poorly understood, as no appropriate animal model of cancer pain is available. New insights into these mechanisms are now arising from femur, calcaneus, humerus model of cancer pain in murine and tibia model in rats. Cancer pain has its unique mechanisms such as osteolysis, peripheral sensitization, central sensitization and nerve entrapping, which are all involved in the development and maintenance of cancer pain. Here we summarized the study progress of cancer pain animal models, neurochemical mechanisms and drugs for treatment of cancer pain from recent literatures.