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Just one injection relieves pain after chemotherapy
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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Scientists have managed to eliminate pain after chemotherapy using a natural protein that can influence the inflammatory cellular response.
These are the results that researchers came to after trying to use the apolipoprotein A1 binding protein in rodents suffering from pain due to chemotherapy for cancerous tumors.
According to the authors, the new drug should be used in clinical practice, replacing opioids, which have a lot of side effects and even cause addiction. Just one epidural injection of the protein substance can relieve pain for up to 8 weeks, without significant side effects.
The difference between the new drug and conventional analgesics is that it binds to TLR4 receptors on cellular structures. By turning off such receptors, the protein inhibits the development of an inflammatory reaction and cell death, simultaneously stopping pain.
“Interestingly, the new method of suppressing receptors with a protein substance also transforms the mechanisms that process the pain signal,” explained one of the authors of the project, anesthesiologist Dr. Tony Yaksh.
According to the professor, the majority of painkillers used in practice, including opioid drugs, work by switching off pain sensitivity. At the same time, the true source of pain is not affected. The new drug initially blocks the root cause of painful sensations and does not cause side effects.
"Opioid use and addiction is a pressing problem in the United States. This new protein drug could be a worthy solution to this problem," the doctor assures.
Pain is a common symptom that occurs during cancer treatment. It negatively affects the quality of life and worsens mental health. And the simultaneous toxic effects of chemotherapy further aggravate the problem: pain sensitivity is so acute that the patient literally cannot be touched.
Those patients who have managed to survive oncology often live with constant pain and complications. According to statistics, in the USA almost 40% of such patients experience constant pain. They have to regularly inject morphine - about 100 mg per day. And this amount is 36 g of the narcotic substance annually.
A single injection of protein disrupts a series of inflammatory sequential reactions within the body, which leads to pain relief for a fairly long period of time.
"The introduction of the drug completely eliminates the neural changes caused by chemotherapy. At the same time, motor function is not affected," the scientists say.
Perhaps, specialists will test other ways of introducing protein into the body. However, most patients will definitely agree to receive one injection into the spine in order to get rid of constant pain and hypersensitivity for several months.
Details are presented in the publication Cell Reports by representatives of the University of California San Diego.
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