Intraventricular somatostatin-14, arginine vasopressin, and oxytocin: analgesic effect in a patient with intractable cancer pain

Appl Neurophysiol. 1987;50(1-6):427-31. doi: 10.1159/000100753.

Abstract

The analgesic effect of intraventricular somatostatin-14 (SOM-14), arginine vasopressin (AVP), and oxytocin (OT) were tested in one terminally ill cancer patient with a diffuse mesothelioma suffering intractable continuous and incapacitating thoracic pain. SOM-14 reduced pain by 90% for 48 min; AVP reduced pain by 95% for 75 min, and OT reduced pain by 88% for 77 min. The only notable side effects were seen after the administration of AVP, which induced anesthesia and flaccid paralysis of the lower limbs, from which the patient fully recovered after 20 h.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Arginine Vasopressin / administration & dosage
  • Arginine Vasopressin / therapeutic use*
  • Drug Combinations
  • Humans
  • Injections, Intraventricular
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasms / complications*
  • Oxytocin / administration & dosage
  • Oxytocin / therapeutic use*
  • Pain, Intractable / drug therapy*
  • Pain, Intractable / etiology
  • Somatostatin / administration & dosage
  • Somatostatin / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Drug Combinations
  • Arginine Vasopressin
  • Oxytocin
  • Somatostatin