Eficácia de técnicas não invasivas [TMS e tDCS] no controlo da dor em doentes oncológicos: Uma revisão sistemática [comunicação oral: poster]

Abstract

Background: Pain is one of the most common and debilitating symptoms among cancer patients, significantly impacting their quality of life. Effective management of cancer pain is challenging due to its varying intensity and characteristics, making it a public health priority. Recently, neuromodulation techniques, such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), have been increasingly studied as innovative approaches for chronic pain treatment, including in cancer contexts. This study aimed to systematically review the evidence on the effectiveness of these techniques in managing cancer-related pain. Materials and Methods: The review was conducted using the databases PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest, and CENTRAL, including eight randomized controlled trials. The PRISMA guidelines were followed, and quality assessment was carried out using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) assessment checklist. Results: A total of 8 articles involving 349 patients were included in the study, with three studies utilizing Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and five employing Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS). All studies targeted the primary motor cortex. The majority of the studies focused on patients with breast and lung cancer. In this context, both techniques were identified as promising alternatives for pain reduction, demonstrating short-term efficacy. However, multiple sessions were found to be necessary to achieve significant improvements with both approaches. Conclusion: Multicentric studies are needed to further explore the impact of these interventions over longer follow-up periods to determine their long-term efficacy. Future research is crucial to establish the role of these emerging techniques in managing cancer pain safely and effectively.