Frequency of neuropathic pain in multiple myelomapatients and relationship with chemotherapeuticagents

Purpose: Multiple myeloma (MM) is a disease characterized by monoclonal neoplastic proliferation of immunoglobulin- producing plasma cells. Multiple Myeloma, progresses with anemia, presence of monoclonal protein in serum and urine, hypercalcemia and kidney failure. It constitutes 1% of all cancers and 10% of hematological cancers. Neuropathic pain is pain caused by a disease or lesion that affects the somatosensory system, is common in patients with cancer. While neuropathic pain has been associated with the disease itself in the past years, it is more associated with treatment today. Neuropathic pain associated with chemotherapy decreases patients' quality of life and restricts their participation in daily activities in MM patients. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of neuropathic pain in MM patients and to evaluate the relationship of neuropathic pain with kematerapeutic agents. Materials and Methods: Fifty patients and 50 healthy volunteers followed up with the diagnosis of MM were included in the study."LANSS", "DN-4" and"Pain Detect" questionnaires were applied to both groups. The data obtained were analyzed using SPSS 21 package program. Results: There were differences in average scores for all three questionnaires between the patient and control groups (p = 0.001 for each). When the surveys are compared according to the presence of neuropathic pain; the presence of more neuropathic pain was detected in patients compared to LANSS and DN-4 (p = 0.002, p = 0.022). According to pain detect, there was no statistical difference between the patient and the control group. MM patients according to the chemotherapy agents they received; VCD (Bortezomib- Cyclophosphamide- Dexamethasone), VCD + RD (Revlimide- Dexamethasone) and other drugs were grouped as those who took it. Neuropathic pain questionnaires were compared between these three groups and no difference was found. When comparing neuropathic pain in patients with and without stem cell transplantation, no statistically significant difference was found between the two groups. Conclusion: Neuropathic pain is more common in MM patients than in the control group. There was no significant difference between the chemotherapy agents taken by the patients and the frequency of neuropathy. Prevention of neuropathic pain, the frequency of which increases with the use of new treatment agents, affects the quality of life of patients. Key words: MM, Neuropathic Pain, LANSS, DN-4, Pain Detect